Persuasion
by Zenith Meriadoc
Summary: AU. His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns six years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart.
1. I: Six Years Later

**Persuasion. **

_Synopsis: His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

I: Six Years Later

.

.

.

.

.

.

Neji stared off into the sea, standing upright with one foot firmly planted on the ship's edge. The salty winds blew, running through his silken dark hair and letting it fly behind him like the sails above. The sky was toned with rich oranges, reds and flecked with violet as the sun hovered over the horizon. Although the waters were calm, the silver-eyed Hyuuga could hear the raucous laughter and merrymaking below as the rest of the naval officers and ANBU squadron were drinking themselves silly.

A long, torturous sigh escaped his lips. He closed his eyes and raised his chin, letting the breeze caress his face. Still clad in his tight-fitted ANBU uniform and his mask hanging around his neck, the Hyuuga prodigy felt like he wasn't grounded in reality yet. It was his first war and at twenty-two, he was the youngest person to ever become captain to the prestigious black ops unit known as ANBU. There were moments where dread and tension of scouring enemies would drive him almost to the point of madness, and other surprisingly exhilarating moments when missions would go according plan. Such was the nature of battle, he supposed, and a part of him would miss those blood-pumping, adrenaline-filled instances.

Now, after six long years, the war was finally over.

Neji had led his team into the depths of enemy territory and scouted for their mark—the insane and bloodthirsty general who led a coup d'état of the Water Kingdom and threatened the sovereignty of the Fire and Wind Kingdoms. They had travelled far into the jungle, seeking out the madman's stronghold for days without sleep. He didn't know how long they could take being on such high alert, as he was quickly exhausting his energy using his Byakugan to keep his comrades safe. Making a unilateral decision, Neji decided to enter the dictator's lair by himself, risking everything if he were caught. But he hadn't been caught, and Neji found his mark foolishly lounging in his quarters by himself. Such arrogance—he probably thought that no one would dare enter the dangerous jungle and make it far enough to threaten his safety. Using the remarkable skills that made him ANBU captain, Neji assassinated the psychotic and cruel man, purposefully using his gurgled cry to draw out his senior and key political comrades.

After making short work of the senior leaders, Neji signalled the team to attack, thus cutting off the head of the snake and ending the fierce war.

And now he would be returning home, returning to his family, returning to...

His heart swelled with unspeakable emotion.

...To her.

The air around him suddenly changed. Opening his eyes, Neji saw the smiling, reddened face of the ship's captain, Remy Rotterdam.

"Aye, Hyuuga, I knew I'd find you here," his friend grinned with his heavy coastal accent, offering the ANBU captain a mug.

"Hn. If that's beer you can keep it." Neji looked at the mug out of the corner of his eye and frowned.

"You think I be gormless arse? Course I knew you don't fancy that sorta drink—this'n is soup. Hearty for the soul," replied a winking Remy, pushing the mug in silver-eyed man's direction once more.

Neji remained stoic but accepted the mug with a small nod. Taking a sip of the concoction, it warmed him from the center of his being and he gave a satisfying sigh.

Remy gave the prodigy a crooked smile. "Told you it'd be hearty. Now then shadow captain, I see that you've got something on your mind. Mind sharing?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know that?"

Remy rubbed his scruffy chin in mock-thought. "Had a scowl on your mug that was deeper than usual, savvy? From my _vast_ experience in the matter, I happen to know that only two things would have a man wearing that sorta scowl." He held up a finger and said, "One, you've got a bad case of scurvy. And seeing how we don't see much that anymore, it's got to be number two," he held up a second finger, "which is that you've got a bonny lass on your mind."

Upon seeing Neji's lip twitch, the handsome auburn-haired sea captain guffawed. "Well I knew it'd be the second!" Sobering up, Remy's face become serious. "It's been six years mate, and I can still see that your heart is hurtin'. You may be foolin' your team and the whole crew and maybe even yourself from time to time, but you can't fool me." He tapped his nose and added, "I've got that sixth Rotterdam sense. Passed from me pa and his before him."

The Hyuuga lips pursed into a thin line; the man was much too intuitive and insightful, something that he both praised when predicting the weather and cursed in moments like this. He sometimes wondered how the foxy man had figured it out. He led his team with the utmost of professionalism—never a moment had occurred in all these years that would've given his men a reason to suspect anything was amiss. Hyuugas were known to be an upright, stern and cold bunch who never betrayed any type of misgiving emotion in the line of duty; it was simply unbecoming.

Thought he never confirmed Remy's 'sixth Rotterdam sense', he allowed fisherman-turned-naval captain to speculate and give him, from time to time, useful nuggets of advice in easing his silent brooding.

"Aye, women be fickle creatures. Can't get a single one to look your way when you're at the bottom o' the picklin' barrel. The minute you've got a title and some money they all start clamouring for your attention like hungry chickens." Remy grinned wistfully and he downed the last of his tankard's contents, smacking his lips. "Now, speaking man to man, you're gonna be in for it the moment we set foot on land. Being the one who killed that nutter who done caused this nasty war, I reckon you're gonna be stinkin' rich and an honorary Knight soon enough. Stick to your guns, eh? The only woman who deserves your heart is the one who loved you before all of this. Don't be forgettin' that."

Little did Remy know, a certain woman had already melted his heart...and her name was Sakura Haruno.

The very thought of her name made his heart clench painfully. He never thought he would find a suitable companion, as he thought females were changeable, superficial and weak. That was until this young, confidant pink-haired medical student walked into his life. Neji thought nothing of her at first, deciding to instantly label her as useless just like the rest of the title-hungry ones. But as he got to know her, the sweetness of her disposition, her beauty, her thoughtfulness, her intelligence!—she was his match in every possible way.

Unconceivable for a Hyuuga, but he was completely and utterly infatuated with her. They were young, he was twenty-two and she was nineteen, but how real the affection for each other was! How their hearts were so attuned that they knew what each one was thinking, how their manners were so different yet so alike! He didn't need to hold out any longer, he wanted to marry her. In truth, his family should have no qualms since both families were nobility. The only obstacle he could foresee would be from her end. What if her family only wanted her to marry a gentleman and not a man in one of the most dangerous professions in the world? What if they objected to their ages? He heard that Sir Haruno was a man who turned his nose at anyone who served in the army...what if he objected to such a connection?

No, he was sure that Sakura was strong. He was confident that she felt that same fervour of love that he did—that even in the unlikely event that his family heartily rejected such a match, he did not care. He didn't care if they cut him off and his inheritance with it. All he wanted...was her.

The happiest day of his young life was the moment Sakura accepted his proposal. Giving her a locket with his picture, he promised her that the moment he became ANBU Captain he would buy her the best ring that _his_ money could buy—he did not want to sully her elegant fingers with a ring that did not befit her. He knew that Sakura didn't care even if he fit an onion ring onto her finger, but his male pride was at stake. He would only give his love the best.

But then the royal summons was issued. The borders of the Fire and Wind countries were being attacked and all units were to be deployed to the usurped Water Kingdom in less than a week.

And then...before he could approach his family with any news, she broke off their engagement without explanation.

But looking back, Neji needed no explanation. He knew that she rejected him for the reasons he had feared.

His fist clenched at the memory.

He wouldn't let anyone humiliate him like that; not he, who was the heir to the powerful and noble Hyuuga clan. Neji would return a hero to the Fire Kingdom and make sure that he did what he had been planning meticulously for more than half a decade.

Revenge.

.

.

.

.

.

A squirt of cold gel was rubbed on a very pregnant woman.

The monitor showed a hazy image.

Sakura smiled at the screen. "Hinata, I don't think you're going to believe this."

Large silver eyes moved from the medic to the screen. "Wh—what is it?" A worried crease formed on her brow.

"Well, see those two massive globes on the screen? Those are the heads of your twins." Sakura contained her mirth and added, "Your twin sons are going to have twin siblings!"

"Good lord," Hinata breathed, not sure how to react to the news. She knew that twins ran in both sides of she and Naruto's families, but this was surreal. After a short pause, the Queen of the Fire Kingdom added, "And the King thought I was just big for five months."

Sakura laughed, "Let's just hope for girls this time, hm?" She crossed her fingers to emphasize the point. The pink-haired medic began to rub the cool ultrasound jelly off her patient's abdomen and helped her sit upright.

Sakura had known Hinata and Naruto since childhood. They had all attended military school together and had stayed good friends as they separated into their respective specialties. Since Hinata was a Hyuuga, it was understood that she would attend the combat branch of training, and that's where she and Naruto grew close. Subsequently, Naruto had risen up through the ranks and proved himself more than worthy in being heir to the Crown, taking Hinata as his wife and elevating her to Queen.

Sakura, on the other hand, had chosen medicine as her primary profession and excelled at it. With the legendary Tsunade as her mentor, she quickly became one of the most skilled medical professional in the country. With the Queen pregnant once again, she knew that she would be taking up her temporary post as Hinata's pre and postnatal caregiver.

Clad in a simple yet elegant empire black frock, Hinata rubbed her massive belly and smiled at her friend. "I can't wait to tell Naruto the news. He will be so happy." She proceeded to slip on her shoes when she remembered something. "By the way, Sakura, I hope you will be attending to the Welcoming Party he and I are holding tonight. We sorely missed your company at the Knighthood Ceremony."

Sakura's heart panged. "Yes—w-well—"

Hinata took the pink-haired woman's hand. "Oh, please do come tonight, my cousin, Neji, is the guest of honour. It would mean so much to me if you were present," she pleaded with her soft voice and slipped the invitation note into her hands, "You've worked yourself to the bone treating the wounded veterans and you deserve a break."

A moment passed.

Sighing in resignation, Sakura agreed.

Watching Hinata walk down the laminate floors, Sakura gripped her thumping heart. Steadying herself, she sauntered to the mirror and splashed cold water on her face. But the water did no good...she was still jittery. She could not fathom that at twenty-five, she would be experiences such emotions.

Oh, if only Hinata knew! Was God playing a cruel trick on her? Staring at her reflection, she could only see the shadow of the young girl who had fell in love some six years ago. Now, she was a woman whose heart would never experience that kind of passion, whom love was lost to forever.

The knot developing in her core tightened. Her fingers brushed against her collarbone and traced the chain of the filigree locket hidden in her shirt.

_Neji..._

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: Hey y'all! I've taken a small break from my other story to write this. How do you like the first chapter of Persuasion—the AU Naruto edition? I must say, Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen novel...so mature, so deep in its tension and emotion. That is what I have set out to accomplish with this pairing. Expect it to be loosely based on the novel—with some Arwitzle flair! Enjoy! If you have any feedback—compliments or constructive criticism (especially with grammar, as I do not have a beta writer!) please review. I appreciate them!

-Arwitzle


	2. II: Encounter

**Persuasion**

_Synopsis: His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

Chapter 2: Encounter

.

.

.

After a long afternoon at the hospital, Sakura wove her way through the throngs of people still celebrating the end of the war. Apparently the parade with the ANBU squadron had only ended a few minutes ago. The doctor was grateful at her timing. She had been spared. Though what good did that do her? She would undoubtedly see him tonight, much to her ever-lasting horror.

Arriving at her family estate, she found that the house was unnaturally empty. She then remembered that her father and sister had gone to the Southern Shore to partake in 'higher-brow' celebrations, turning their nose at the prospect of mingling with the local riffraff.

Sakura decided that this was indeed a blessing since she knew that if her family known that she had been invited to dine in with royalty, they would have whined about how they would have enjoyed it more than she did, or that she should use her connections to get them invitations as well. They were sycophantic connection mongers. Rather than judging individuals based on their character and merit, her father and sister would care only for birth and rank. She was happy that she was no longer forced to attend parties filled with snobbish aristocrats and so-called gentlemen. Ever since she had started working full time as a doctor, she could use her job as an excuse to miss such gatherings, much to her father's chagrin. He hadn't been particularly pleased when she would go off to the military hospitals at the coastal bases to assist wounded soldiers, feeling that such tasks were beneath her. No matter, Sakura had had some semblance of happiness due to the fulfilling work her career allowed her—until now.

Looking at the letters of the day, she saw many invitations that were addressed to her father and sister. And then she saw one with the King's fire seal. Opening it hastily, it was a note from Hinata saying that a carriage would come to receive her at six o'clock. Looking at the foyer's grandfather clock, the cherry-haired doctor saw that she had scarcely an hour to be at the door and ready to go.

She found it difficult to enjoy her bath, as her body was raked with nervous dread. The knot that had developed in her stomach earlier refused to go away. She took her time getting dressed, as her movements felt sluggish and heavy. She preferred to dress in simple gowns, choosing one that was a minimalistic sky blue. It was still elegantly cut, as it was neither tight nor loose; it simply enhanced her figure in its flowing design. Her choice of jewellery was also understated, choosing her mother's drop silver earrings and marcasite bangles with light blue topaz gemstones. With the help of one of the maids, she styled her hair in an intricate updo, also applying enough makeup to cover the telltale signs of doctors' exhaustion—dark eyelids.

Looking at her reflection in her full looking-glass, she was satisfied that she neither looked dowdy enough to attract negative attention nor polished enough to look memorable. Her only goal tonight was to survive.

Seeing that she still had ten minutes before the royal carriage was to arrive, Sakura sent the maids away and quietly sat down, lost in thought. She wandered to her bed and reached her arm under it, slipping out her precious possession that she guarded with childish jealousy. Blowing off the small amount of dust that had collected upon it, her finger slowly traced the intricate wooden carvings of the mahogany box, as the detailed carvings were adorned with gold inlay. Opening the lid, a nostalgic tune began to play. The musical box revealed a surreal night scene, with the profile of a smiling moon twinkling amongst the stars. As the tune continued to play, the moon moved in an arc, lowering under the horizon as the illuminating rays of the sun moved in the moon's place, changing the background to blue skies. Had she allowed to the box to stay open, the continuous change between night and day would not cease.

Breathing deeply, she closed the box and hugged it to her chest. The locket and musical box were the only mementos she had of the young handsome Hyuuga from a time long past. Sakura wondered if Neji Hyuuga was married. Did he have children? Would they be there? Rather, she had followed the news of the ANBU squad very closely while she served at the military hospital. She surmised that a small part of her only participated in helping wounded soldiers at the coastal bases just so she could have inside information on his movements from others. To her knowledge, she hadn't heard of any ANBU captain of getting engaged or tying the knot. And even if he had, should she be surprised? Six years was a long stretch of time. But the very thought of such a thing ever happening...she didn't know why she felt such profound sadness.

Her right palm had begun to pain from her tight grip. Shocked, she hadn't realized that she was gripping her locket at all. With the musical box held to her left bosom, she shakily put it back under her bed. A knock to her door told her that the escorts were patiently waiting down below. Steeling herself, she made her way to the courtyard and entered. With the carriage swaying under the cobblestone streets, she vowed to avoid the Hyuuga with all her might and promised herself that she would remain strong. She could not—would not—allow regret to overcome her.

.

.

The carriage came to an abrupt stop. They had arrived at the Castle.

Giving her invitation slip to the doorman, she didn't need any directions; she had been a regular at the Castle and knew her way around well enough. Admiring the superb decorations as she sauntered leisurely down the massive hallway and into the foyer with the other guests, Sakura was thoroughly impressed with Hinata's taste. Casual music filled the air and set the pace for the wonderful sounds that would come later for the dance. She saw that the main door to the dining area was closed for now to allow the guests to chitchat before dinner. Sakura pulled her thin shawl over her shoulders—more as a habit to feel secure rather than feeling chilly.

Suddenly, a hand covered her eyes.

A male voice whispered in her ear, "Guess who?"

Sakura gasped and held her breath in panic.

Lifting his hand off her face and spinning her around, Sakura snorted, relieved.

"Hah—I got you!" Naruto laughed, flicking Sakura's forehead playfully. "I wonder who you thought I was? Your hidden lover?" The King doubled with laughter at the very thought.

"Naruto—I mean, _Your Majesty!_" Sakura chided severely, trying to contain her embarrassment and looking subtly from side to side to make sure no one saw what had transpired. "There are other guests here! You have to try to be more..._King-like_."

Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically and pouted. "Come, come! The dinner is just a friends and family affair! And didn't I tell you to drop it with the formalities? It doesn't suit you to be respectful to me." He put both hands on the pink-haired woman's shoulders and gave her a good shake.

Now it was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes. The blond King of the Fire Kingdom was truly an enigma. With his long, naturally spiked blond hair and carefree attitude, Sakura wondered how he had won over the more uptight elements of Konoha society. Though today, she was sure that he looked every bit like royalty; dressed in the traditional Fire King robes, he wore a very smart high-necked white cravat that enhanced his strong jaw line and cheekbones. Sakura approved.

"Well I wouldn't want to be accused to being given special treatment," Sakura replied, "You know how prudish some of these people are."

"Yes, but none of these prudes helped delivery my sons, did they?" Naruto countered with a friendly elbow to her side. "Besides, there aren't any prudes here! You know how the Hyuugas are—they are a practical bunch and nowhere near fickle. Though I will admit, they're a little on the cold side but that wall of frost breaks down when they get to know you." He grinned widely as Sakura. "Save the formalities for the ball later tonight. I'm sure all the prudes in the city will be there." Unilaterally, he looped her arm around his as he led them to the throng of guests. "Come! Hinata's over there! She wanted you to meet a very special person..."

As Naruto began to chatter away, she instinctively dreaded where he was taking the pair of them. She nodded as she barely listened to what he was saying, instead her brow furrowed with worry. She occasionally heard words like "Hero" and "ANBU captain" and she realized that she was right in attempting to find exits to escape to. As they reached the small crowd, Sakura could see Hinata speaking animatedly with a figure hidden amongst other Hyuuga family members.

Sakura desperately wanted to break free from the King's arm, but she knew that would be impossible to wriggle out of his iron-clad grip. Oh, please don't let it be who she thought it was.

"Ah, Hinata, there you are! Here's Sakura!" Naruto happily presented Sakura to the Queen.

Hinata's face brightened upon seeing the sheepish doctor. "Sakura! I'm so happy you're here—and you look beautiful," she complimented her with her soft yet regal voice. Taking hold of her hand, Hinata said, "There's someone here I'd like for you to meet..." With her other arm, Hinata sifted through the crowd and tapped the shoulder of a very tall individual.

When the figure turned around, Sakura felt like her heart literally stopped.

He was clad in a sharp black suit, complete with a fitted waistcoat and high collared jacket that flattered his broad shoulders and neat figure. Long dark hair was tied loosely back, with the locks that escaped confinement framing his chiseled and defined face. His silvery eyes, which were tinted with lavender, contrasted strikingly against his dark brows and tanned skin. Shocked green eyes fell upon the most handsome man she had ever seen. He looked nothing and yet everything like himself.

When her eyes locked with his, she was taken aback by the cold glint reflected in his silver eyes.

"Sakura, let me introduce you to my cousin, ANBU Captain and war hero, Neji Hyuuga." Hinata said proudly, unaware of what had been going on. "Neji, this is Dr. Sakura Haruno. She is the most accomplished doctor in the land."

Sakura lost all use of her voice. Her mouth moved as if to speak but she found she had nothing to say. What could she say? '_Oh Hinata, didn't you know? We've already met—he was my fiancé but I broke it off years ago.'_

She thought that she would be sick.

And yet, it was Neji who was the first extricate his gaze from her and speak. He nodded his head slightly in Sakura's direction. "Thank you cousin, but Dr. Haruno and I are already acquainted." His voice was icy and cruelly proper.

The Queen was confused. "Really, cousin? You never mentioned it before."

As if on cue, the dinner bell rang and the main dining hall doors opened.

Dinner would be served in a few minutes.

Thanking God that she was saved from his close proximity, Sakura quickly ducked under the guests and made her way to the dinner table.

.

.

After the King sat at one end of the table and the Queen at the other, the seats quickly began to fill. With Neji being the guest of honour, he sat to the right of the King. Having no choice in the matter, Sakura sat to the next to Hinata, but she could see Neji plainly across from her end. With only a few seats separating them, she commanded her eyes on her plate or in Hinata's direction; Sakura did not think she had the will to endure such a cold glare a second time tonight and hold herself together.

She felt a warm hand slip on top of hers. "Are you alright, Sakura?" the silver-eyed Queen's voice was laced with concern.

Was she that obvious? Rather than lying, she made up a better excuse. "I...I think I'm just really tired from working." The hand on top of hers tightened. "Don't worry," Sakura insisted, smiling weakly, "I'm sure that I just need food in my system."

It was pathetic really, to see herself like this. Scared. Guilty. Regretful. She pushed such negative thoughts from her mind, for she knew that it would soon show on her face and it already has. She fought to keep herself with a semblance of a smile, chatting with Hinata, her sister Hanabi and her husband for the bulk of the dinner. From time to time she would feel icy daggers drive into her back whenever she leaned in to talk to Hinata, but when she turned to glance in Neji's direction ever so briefly, she would see that he was having a riveting conversation with the King and other guests at his end of the table.

Oh, how he had changed? Life as an active ANBU captain in war had altered him—she could see how his once lanky body now rippled with muscles until his jacket, how years at sea had made his once pale skin a radiant light caramel, how his once brown hair had darkened to a glossy black. She remembered him as reserved, borderline antisocial officer when she had first met him. And here he was now, confidently making conversation with his family members and Naruto's close advisors. Cracking jokes even. She truly knew nothing about this new Neji before her.

The servants returned to wait on them, as the appetizer plates were taken away and replaced with the main course dishes. Sakura could hardly eat; her nerves dared her, warning that if she did it would certainly come back up. The table lowered to a conversational murmur, as most of the hungry guests began to enjoy their meals, savouring the delectable flavours and sipping expensive wine.

"Tell me, Neji," began Hiashi, the King's father-in-law. "Now that you've made your own wealth and become a heroic Knight—"

At this, all the men piped in "Hear, hear!" and "Well deserved!"

"—do you have any plans to settle down?"

The table suddenly became quiet with anticipation, eager to hear the prodigy's response. All eyes were on the hero.

Neji replied confidently, "Yes, I think you will all be delighted to hear that I am in fact searching for a suitable wife. I think that would be the most sensible step for me to take at this stage of my life."

"You're lucky that you've kept yourself single for this long, nephew!" one of the older uncles laughed heartily.

Neji smirked. "I imagine that God has saved me from making any rash decisions in my youth. Or, should I say, I was denied the folly of marrying young."

Cold silvery eyes met green, if only briefly, to illustrate his point. She shrank into her chair and looked down immediately, her face reddening. Though no one saw this, Sakura understood perfectly. From the cruel smirk on his lips, he was enjoying the effect he had on her countenance.

"Aw, be nice, Neji! Not all young marriages are the stuff of folly!" Naruto boomed happily, directing his wine glass to his wife. "Hinata and I fell in love while in school and we've been together since."

Neji nodded in agreement. "Yes, but you are an exception to the rule, cousin-in-law. No family would ever reject matching their daughter with you—you were the Crown Prince after all." When everyone nodded in agreement at the ANBU captain's point, he continued, "But I must admit that it would not be prudent for any active servicemen to even think of getting married. Now, before you all cut my head off for uttering such blasphemy, let me say this. When two souls are separated by a long war, such as the one that just passed, it is a sore trial for both parties. Bleeding hearts have no place on the battlefield, from my experience."

The murmur amongst the members of the dinner table suggested that they thought Neji's point to be valid, or at least, up for debate.

"Sakura," Naruto began, upon seeing that the pink-haired woman was the only one not speaking, "you were at the front lines helping wounded soldiers on the coast. What do you think—does love enhance a soldier's performance or hinder it?"

The table immediately silenced and all eyes, including Neji's, were on Sakura.

Swallowing nervously, Sakura cleared her throat and replied, "From my observations," she paused when she felt Neji's eyes burn into her being. Steeling herself, she continued, "I have seen patients recover from life-threatening injuries when they had loved ones to go back to. It would suggest that love for another back home keeps one clinging to life when all hope is lost."

Everyone at the table had knowing smiles on their faces, especially the members of the military who had experienced such fatal injuries in the line of duty.

"Well said, Sakura!" Naruto complimented her as he stood from his chair. "A toast—to love!"

All glasses were raised. "To love!"

Tentatively, she looked at Neji. His eyes sparked with an unfathomable emotion. Hate? Anger? Pity? She did not know.

"Pray tell, cousin," Hanabi began, ripping Neji's stare from Sakura to her, "Do you have anyone in mind for marriage?" Hanabi queried with a mischievous smile; Naruto's face plastered with the same expecting grin.

He did not expect such a direct question and laughed. "No, no," he grinned humbly, "I am ready to make a foolish match with any handsome woman."

"Any woman?" Naruto's mentor and advisor, Jiraiya, boomed. "Now, now Captain Neji, if you don't explain yourself you may give those older spinsters hope!"

"Perhaps more your type, hmm Jiraiya?" Bellows of laughter ensued at Jiraiya's expense (who laughed also, knowing that his flirtatious reputation preceded him). Once they quieted down, the silver-eyed prodigy said, "But if I may speak in earnest—what I desire above all in a wife is firmness of character. A woman who knows her own mind. I cannot abide timidity or feebleness of purpose. A weak spirit which is always open to persuasion, first one way and then the other," he paused an cast a hard, unforgiving glance in Sakura's direction, "can never be relied upon."

"Hear, hear," the men grunted in approval, raising their glasses to Neji.

Sakura, on the other hand, could not take any more of the Hyuuga's verbal abuse. Profound guilt and embarrassment raked her body and had her shaking.

Rising from her seat, she nodded to the King, curtsied to the Queen and excused herself.

The other guests thought nothing of her departure, but Sakura could only feel one pair of eyes burning into her as she left the dining hall.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: Hey guys! Aww, I'm really touched that you like my story! I kinda take every review I get to heart, so thank you :) Remember, this is _**loosely**_ based on Persuasion. It may seem the same now, but trust me, you'll find a lot of major changes to it as the story progresses (Gosh I'm so excited for what I'm gonna do...my favourite character will be making his entrance soon tee hee hee). So I suggest that if you've read the book, know that things will not transpire in same way. That being said, I will jack my favourite quotes and lines from the book and totally implant it into my story. Why? Because they're SO classic and it's totally believable when especially Neji says them!

Until next time,

-Arwitzle


	3. III: Misunderstanding

**Persuasion**

_Synopsis:_ _His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

III: Misunderstanding

.

.

.

.

.

Sakura embraced the coolness of the night breeze as it grazed her prickly, hot skin. Oh, how wretched she had felt! She wanted to let the tears that had been threatening to fall all evening do so, but she couldn't allow herself to. Only a few escaped her iron resolve.

"So you've been hiding out here the whole time. And here I thought you would be enjoying the ball," her mentor's voice cut through the silence the pink-haired medic had been wallowing in. Gazing at the illuminated orb that was the full moon against the inky night sky, Sakura pointlessly attempted to wipe away some of the free flowing tears. She didn't want Tsunade to see her like this.

"Just getting some air, Teacher," she answered with her voice surprisingly steady. From her peripherals Sakura could see her blond-haired superior stand beside her.

They both stood in silence for a while; it wasn't uncomfortable or palatable with the anticipation of interrogation. Rather it was calm, as if to allow a prelude of understanding set in before the ultimate discussion. Her teacher knew Sakura all too well.

Taking a sip of wine from a glass she sneaked out with her, Tsunade turned to her student, leaning one elbow on the railing casually. "In all my years of teaching you, I have never seen you so out of countenance. Not once." She took another sip of her wine and smacked her lips, gazing at Sakura with a discerning glint in her eye. "Wait, that's not true. I distinctly remember only one such occasion. And it concerned a certain Hyuuga who left to serve in the war."

When Sakura's lip quivered, Tsunade sighed and fully embraced her student, rocking her side to side as she patted her head. "It's okay Sakura. You are the strongest person I know and you've held this grief within you for a long time. Let it all out."

And let it out she did. Sakura cried in earnest for the first time in years. All the heartache, all the wretchedness, all the guilt that had been festering since that fateful day flowed with her tears and hitched sobs. When she was able to connect enough coherent words to form sentences, she unabashedly recounted to Tsunade the full events of the evening—how Neji regarded her when she had first laid eyes on him, how he had nothing but anger and contempt towards her, how he sought to punish her for the past and punish her he certainly did.

When she finally felt like her tear ducts had been drained in its entirety, Sakura pulled away from Tsunade's warm embrace, feeling slightly embarrassed over her crass display of, in her eyes, childish emotion. She had fought hard to keep herself as emotionally mature as she possible could since the war started. She supposed that she was only human.

At rest, Tsunade wiped away a lone tear and smiled. "There, don't you feel better?" When her student nodded, she said, "Good, because it doesn't suit you to be so melancholic! Why do you think I chose to apprentice you? Because of your good looks? Come now—I love you for your spirit, for your ability to overcome adversity and stay on the ball! Now, I have a bone to pick with you."

The smile on Sakura's face faded slightly.

"Yes, that's right. My question is this: did you ever explain to Neji Hyuuga why you broke the understanding between you two?"

Sakura's smile was immediately replaced with a frown. "No, I never did."

Tsunade's finely arched eyebrow was raised to illustrate her point.

"For Heaven's sake, Teacher! You know that I couldn't burden anyone, much less Neji, with such information! I _know_ how Neji is. Or should I say, I _knew_ how he _was_ like. He would've fretted and fretted over my wellbeing! And I had nightmares that in the midst of his distraction someone would impale him!" Sakura cried in her defence. "I...I couldn't bother him with, in comparison, lesser family concerns."

At that, the older woman's face became lined with severity. "I _hardly_ think that what happened to you and your family could constitute as a _lesser_ concern_._"

Sakura nodded wordlessly as she felt the prickly thorns of a grief buried long in the past resurface.

Gripping her apprentice's shoulder, Tsunade continued, "Let me ask you this—in all these six years has he contacted you? I would think that if he loved you as robustly as you love him, he wouldn't have given up without a fight."

"No, not a word," answered Sakura weakly. "But I do not blame him." She chewed her lip and added, "But I don't think that he knows. He was in the midst of battling in a war after all."

"Even if that's true, I don't think it's fair for you to shoulder all of the blame," Tsunade scoffed, "And now that he has returned, he thinks it's prudent to retaliate against you—to twist the knife cruelly deeper?" Sakura could hear the anger rising in the fiery woman's voice as she downed half of her wine in one gulp.

"It's alright, Teacher. Like I said he probably doesn't know the circumstances—"

"To hell with the circumstances, Sakura!" Tsunade snapped, slightly tipsy from the wine. "Don't you see? How can you condone his savage assault on your person? If he truly loved you, wouldn't he at least have attempted to speak with you once more? Or even allow you to approach him? No matter what he thinks happened, no one deserves to be treated in that manner. No one." The blond-haired woman hissed her last statement with seething anger. "'Firmness of character' he says? 'Weak spirit' is what he thinks you are? Hah! He can shove his so-called Knighthood up his ass for all I care."

Before Sakura could react to Tsunade's rant, her teacher grabbed her student's hand and began to pull her back into the palace. "I won't allow you to waste all the years you spent waiting for this prick to come back, only to have him spit on how much you sacrificed for his sake."

.

.

.

Musicians were in a corner playing lively melodies as the first rounds of revellers were dancing a popular step. The ballroom was decorated decadently, with a bevy of breathtaking candled lights adorning the ridges of the second floor balcony and marble pillars. The ambience was both warm and uplifting—thought Neji's heart couldn't fully appreciate it. A deep part of him still felt guilty over his conduct towards the medic. Neji had relished the effects of how his indirect attacks hit home but, in all honesty, he hadn't expected her to react so strongly to his poking and prodding, much less her storming off at his last jab. Perhaps he had been a little too harsh. But it was nothing she didn't deserve. Sakura Haruno had only just tasted a fraction of the devastation Neji had felt when she broke his heart all those years ago.

The Hyuuga hero had to admit that she did still have an effect on him. Normally another man would not bat another eyelid at Sakura, since she preferred to wear toned-down and understated dresses as opposed to the more opulent fashions, but Neji could see the beauty in her simplicity. Instead of piling on makeup and letting the extravagant gowns wear her, Sakura's true beauty radiated from her minimalist fashion sense and refined air she carried herself with. She didn't need superfluous primping—no, the pink-haired woman was above such tackiness.

Biting his lip in frustration, Neji quickly shook those useless thoughts from his head. He couldn't allow his merciful nature towards her to impede in his plot to crush her heart into smithereens. He was a Hyuuga after all; he was born brutally destroying his targets with cold efficiency.

No matter.

At the moment he was surround with, in Jiraiya's opinion, the most beautiful and eligible young women in Konoha society. Too bad he found the way they looked a tad distasteful; he wasn't impressed that the new trend in haute couture was tying one's corset so tightly that a woman's bust could be seen in full view. He also didn't care for copious amounts of false hair and eye makeup that completely altered one's appearance. Briefly, he had a horrifying vision of seeing one of them in the morning stripped of their adornments and almost shivered.

These were the kind of women that Remy had warned him against; though some of them were physically attractive, he knew that their designs upon him were purely superficial. In actuality, he despised them for exactly those reasons, and delighted that he was now in a position to reject them. One of them, and perhaps the most handsome of them all, Reya Kent, had been the most insistent in demanding the Hyuuga's attention. She had his entire family history memorized, hoping to impress him by dropping bits of her vast knowledge to him 'discreetly' within conversation. Amused, Neji played along with their games, humouring them with insincere compliments and veiled insults to their intelligence. It made no difference; they laughed insipidly at everything he said.

In truth, his mind kept wandering to a certain doctor missing from the ball. He would subtly look around the filled room for a flash of pink hair—and then suddenly he felt an arm snake around his. To his amusement, Reya Kent was an aggressive hunter. She leaned in close to him as if showing the world that she was marking her territory.

"Come, Sir Neji, wouldn't you like us to get better acquainted...privately?" she purred suggestively.

The ANBU Captain never had a sexual offer given so brazenly in his life and could not help in chuckling at her profound desperation.

And then Neji something pricking at him, as if someone was watching him. Searching for the source, the prodigy's gaze fell upon his former fiancée.

Turning away from Reya, Neji hadn't expected Sakura to witness what had just transpired. Shocked, he looked at her and felt nothing but self-disgust. She looked like she had been weeping, as her eyes were slightly red and puffy, and her cheeks tear-stained. He saw her clutching something around her neck as he watched her struggle to understand what she was seeing. Her face was evoking a plethora of different emotions as her eyes left him and fell upon his company; first shock, followed by sadness, disbelief and then...

And then... he saw an emotion that he had never seen reflected in those beautiful green orbs hitherto.

It was anguish so profound that it was as if a knife had pierced his soul.

When Sakura released what she had been clutching in her hand and moved to leave, Neji caught a glimpse of something that made his heart drop.

There was no mistaking it.

It was the locket he had given her six years ago.

But...

Why...?

Neji suddenly felt like his charade had worked a little too well, and now it was too late.

.

.

.

Devastated was an understatement for the rending emotion that split Sakura's heart asunder. Her grip upon her locket was vice-like, holding onto it as if her dear life had depended upon it.

There she saw Neji, speaking animatedly with a group of beautiful young women, each of them doing their best to contest with the other in capturing the Hyuuga's attention. One of them, and in Sakura's eyes, the most beautiful, wrapped her arm around the hero's. She had a coy smile on her lips and unabashedly batted her eyes at him suggestively, clearly delighted with whatever the captain had to say. Bravely she whispered something into Neji's ear that had him grinning with surprised delight.

Suddenly, the Hyuuga slowly turned his gaze directly to Sakura. Their eyes only briefly met; this time Sakura didn't care to read his reactions. She knew that he relished seeing her suffer.

"Let's go," Sakura whispered as she turned around, her voice barely audible.

.

.

Sakura bade Tsunade goodnight as she closed the door of her home. She walked to her room with her heart numb and her mind buzzing.

Her teacher was right. What good would it do to tell him now, after six years, the real reason why she left him? Especially after tonight, what could Sakura expect from him other than spite? How would her long past due confession change anything? From the moment he set his eyes upon her, he clearly shown that he felt nothing but spite for her. There was not a shred of love left for her anymore. She laughed despite herself. Even if he had found out what had happened to her family, it wouldn't have mattered; he cursed her for her so-called 'weak spirit' that was 'open to persuasion'. He had years to forget and wash himself of her. And from what she had just seen, he had clearly moved on.

Besides, the man that was now _Sir_ Neji Hyuuga was not the man she fell in love with.

All of a sudden Sakura felt extremely foolish. She had turned down the affections of every single man that had come her way since the silver-eyed prodigy left. She kept herself pure...for him, with the hopes that he would be the only one to share such an intimate moment with her. The only lips she had ever kissed remained to be his...

The thought of him sleeping with that golden-haired tart made Sakura angrily throw a pillow violently against the wall.

That white-eyed bastard knew that she still had feelings for him. He knew and purposefully hurt her for his own sick sense of pleasure. All this time, she wanted to tell him the truth face-to-face.

But he didn't deserve it. Not one bit.

But oh, he probably thought he was so clever didn't he? He probably thought she would let him bulldoze over her heart, didn't he? Oh, Neji Hyuuga would be in for a surprise indeed.

The only thing that dominated Sakura was an overwhelming rush of vigour. She would show that bastard that Sakura Haruno was no meek pushover. She graduated at the top of class from the goddamn toughest medical school in Konoha and was the finest doctor and military medic in the land. It wasn't because she was friends with Hinata that she became Royal Caretaker, beating out thousands of accomplished peers for the coveted position; it was because of her merit and obviously superior skill set of course.

If that smarmy Hyuuga wanted to fight dirty—bring it on.

He may have won the battle today, but Sakura vowed that she would win the war.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: Hello, hello, hel-lo! To my lovely readers I give you my sincerest greetings! I know it's been a while since my last update—I'm usually quick with them but I've been a little hampered schedule-wise. Do forgive me! So I didn't get to introduce my all-time favourite character yet—it just didn't work with the 'theme' of this chapter, but he'll be making his debut next chapter (so stay tuned! :D) Oh, how the tables have turned Neji! And Sakura, you shan't feel guilty anymore! I love writing this, it's so exciting! Thanks to everyone who reviewed—like I said before, I take every review and stick it in a special place in my heart (everyone says 'awww'). Please, continue with the suggestions, constructive criticism and compliments :)

-Arwitzle


	4. IV: Perspective

**Persuasion**

_Synopsis:_ _His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

IV: Perspective

.

.

.

.

.

Sakura woke up the next day a new woman. For the first time in her adult life, she woke up free from the hefty burden of guilt for the Hyuuga man. Now, she would live her life with no regrets.

Dressing in a plain black tunic, loose trousers of the same colour and strapped sandals, Sakura left her home with a bouquet of flowers in tow. She ambled down the cobblestone streets of Konoha, greeting the street vendors as she passed by the downtown core, quickly chit-chatting with the local baker and buying the local children sweets, as per usual. It was a bright sunny day and she felt that the end of a bitter war had everyone in high, hopeful spirits.

As she continued to make her way to her intended destination, Sakura caught herself absentmindedly fidgeting with her locket. Frowning, she stopped in the middle of the street and looked down at it. She reflected that, in order to truly free herself from the clutches of unhealthy love, perhaps she should throw away anything that would remind her of him? Another part of her wanted to keep something to remember better days, the days filled with passionate young love and hope. She didn't want to forget those memories and as such, decided that keeping the necklace didn't diminish her resolve, rather, it reminded her that if she could love once, she could love again.

Satisfied with the pattern of her logic, Sakura continued to walk to her destination.

Following the winding road, Sakura climbed the hill until she reached a point where the road ended and surrounded by a low fence. Opening the gate, she walked up the grassy plains where, at the very top of this plot, was a lone tree and on each side of this tree were two headstones.

Every time she came here, her heart ached deeply. Placing the bouquet of flowers between the two and kneeling down in front of them, the cherry-haired doctor took a deep, shaky breath.

These were the final resting places of Mother and her younger sister, Sanna.

She removed her sandals and sat down hugging her knees. Sakura missed them so much; she didn't know how to express the loneliness she felt in the core of her being. She yearned to see them one more time, to tell them that she loved and missed them and was sorry she wasn't a bigger part of their lives. Though Sakura didn't regret her decision to go into medical school, she regretted those moments that would never come back. Moments where her sister pestered Sakura to go to the theatre with her or randomly go get ice cream at the parlour nearby. Moments where Mother would ask her to sew quilts with her on lazy afternoons and how Sakura would decline, saying that she needed to study for upcoming examinations. She was so immersed with her studies, and then Neji, to make use of the little time she had left with both of them.

Sakura would never forget the day that her sister was suddenly snatched away from her. She had been blindsided completely. It was the first day of fall when it happened, when she tragically fell from the third floor balcony of Mother's drawing room. Sakura always remembered Sanna as a tall, if not gangly, girl who was innocent and naive in her disposition. Mother always warned Sanna not to play her imaginative games around the balcony, fearing that one day she would trip over her dress and fall over the edge. So she always kept a close eye on her youngest daughter, keeping her away from the balcony while she was at home and locking it when she was away. Sadly, Mother forgot to lock the balcony one day and that was the day that poor Sanna tripped over her dress and fell.

Sakura felt tears threaten to fall as she recounted the memory. She was with Neji at the time, blissfully unaware that her sister had been rushed to the hospital and died of internal bleeding. When Sakura returned home that night, she would never forget the intense grief that had been permanently etched upon Mother's face. Her father and older sister were devastated as well but Sakura feared the worst for her mother as she blamed herself for Sanna's death, that if she only didn't rush so, she would've made sure that the balcony was locked like she always did.

Although Sakura had been caught completely off guard by Sanna's death, she saw Mother's coming; she just didn't expect that it would be within a week of Sanna's untimely departure. Natural death was what the coroner ruled when she collapsed while walking away from visiting Sanna's grave a day after the funeral. Her poor heart couldn't handle the burden of burying her own daughter.

Sakura didn't know how to react to such loss. The first dead body she ever saw was her sister's when she followed her family's tradition of washing the dead body and wrapping it with incensed white sheets before the men came in to put her into the coffin. In that time, she steeled herself, saying to herself that if she couldn't handle death now, she had no business becoming a doctor. She was the only person in her immediate family who could follow the tradition, along with her visiting aunt and grandmother. Her older sister and mother could not handle such a task, they said. But what a sore trial it had been, to see Sanna's corpse when she had just spoken to her and saw her lively face only a day before. Sakura choked up tears while braiding her sister's hair and her aunt tried consoling her, saying that she had been lucky that her fall left her completely intact and that she had the honour of having her older sister gently care for her body.

Who knew that the pink-haired doctor to be would be washing her mother's body nary a day after her sister?

To make matters even worse, the usurped Water Kingdom had declared war on the Fire and Wind Kingdoms and in that same week Neji was to be deployed. Admittedly, she only broke off the understanding out of the spur of the moment— she not want to burden him with such terribly news before his first war, especially when he was pegged to become the ANBU squad's new Captain. She knew that he lost both his parents when he was very young and was raised by his uncle...but Sakura didn't think that he would want to be married to someone who emotionally weak like herself. He was used to death and it probably didn't faze him anymore—he was like cold steel. But knowing his kind nature, he would worry about _her_ wellbeing and she didn't want that.

A deeper part of her wanted to protect herself from further grief. What if he died during the war? From putting on a strong face for her family's sake and trying to come to terms with the fact that she would never see Sanna or Mother ever again, she felt herself cracking under pressure. She had to be there for her family; now was not the time for a selfish engagement. Her mother had been the one keeping the family together and at peace. Now it was Sakura's job to take the mantle of being the sensible one. She couldn't burden her father, who already disapproved of her chosen career path, with, in his eyes, an imprudent connection with a 'family of servicemen' (for that's what he thought of the Hyuugas).

If war hadn't been declared, the whole town would've known about her mother and sister's tragic deaths. But it was only after the troops had been deployed that the news had gone out that these tragic deaths transpired during the frantic follow-up to the war and that was when the flood of condolences came to their home.

Two years later, when Naruto came of age, he married Hinata and they became King and Queen of the Fire Kingdom. With Hinata becoming Queen, she raised the status of the Hyuuga family and she remembered her father saying on the day of the Royal Wedding how wonderful it would be to marry into a family that had a Queen as a relative. How ironic—she broke things off with Neji in order to not anger her father yet it turns out that _now _that marrying a Hyuuga would do nothing but please him for the connection. Though, a small part of her hoped that Neji _would_ write to her, at least once. But he hadn't done so, and she did whatever she could to keep tabs on him with the hope that he was saving himself for her as she was for him.

Sighing deeply, she knew now that her hope was in vain. He despised her for what she did to him. But her grief didn't come from being able to be with him, it came from not being able to convey _why_ she did what she did, for closure at least.

No matter, from the way he conducted himself she didn't want anything to do with Neji, much less have a heart-to-heart with him.

Seeing her face clenched in calculating thought from her reflection from the polished stone of Sanna's headstone, Sakura's expression eased. She remembered how her younger sister would laugh at how her face would contort when she was over-thinking things.

"_You'll get a nasty wrinkly face by the time you're thirty, you'll see!" _She would say as she stuck out her tongue and pranced away.

Grinning at the memory, Sakura leaned forward and kissed Sanna and Mother's headstones before getting up to leave.

Though she still grieved from their untimely departures and she realized that she would always miss them, Sakura promised that she would live out her life for all three of them.

.

.

.

It had been almost a month since the ball. Though Sakura had made regular trips to the palace to keep tabs on Hinata and her unborn children's' health, she happily hadn't seen a lick of Neji at all. According to the Queen, he had been busy touring the country with Naruto, attending the various invites of wealthy lords and dukes and making speeches for the people, among other diplomatic duties. Sakura couldn't have cared less though; his absence made it easier for Sakura to fully excise his existence from her mind with surgical expertise.

Tsunade was thrilled with Sakura's fresh new perspective and offered to accompany her to places where she could meet new men. The thought of putting herself out on displays at bars or other scenes of that nature made Sakura feel uncomfortable. Although she derided many of her family's beliefs, she at least held herself to the tune of a lady—and that meant no bars. Besides, she had seen Tsunade drunk enough times to know better.

It was a welcome change for her to break out of, what she considered, a six-year funk. Besides focusing on her job and being there for her family, she hadn't done anything _uplifting_ for herself. She found herself reminiscing about her adept skills at the piano and violin (skills that transferred to precise dexterity in surgery) and decided that practice was long overdue. She threw herself back into her childhood passion, playing the piano awkwardly and the violin with many ear-splitting slips, but after a few days her fingers were starting to remember what they were supposed to do instinctively; she supposed it was like riding a bicycle.

As Sakura was practicing her favourite piano piece, To Samarkand, one of the maids bought her a letter—two in fact. Frowning, she found that the first one had her father's ring seal pressed upon it. Quickly perusing it, it said that he and her older sister would be staying in the Southern Shore for the rest of the summer and that she was welcome to join them at the summer villa anytime she chose. Laughing, Sakura shook her head and reached for the next letter.

It was a letter of urgent summons from Hinata.

Fearing the worst, Sakura quickly grabbed an overcoat and ran to the palace.

.

.

When Sakura bolted into Hinata's quarters, she expected to see a sight far worse than Hinata sitting in her chair with a concerned look on her face and Tsunade sitting across from her with an equally perturbed expression. Relieved that the Queen was in no medical emergency, the pink-haired doctor felt her heart at ease.

"Sakura! Thank goodness you received my letter so quickly," Hinata said brightly, thought her voice was laced with distress. She motioned to the only unoccupied chair in front of her.

Curious, she saw someone else sitting in front of Hinata as well. As she came close to Hinata's desk, she craned her neck slightly to get a better look at him. Though he didn't turn to acknowledge her, from his profile she could see that the man had a shock of tousled dark red hair and sharp light green eyes that contrasted heavily with his dark eyelashes. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and Sakura could see that he had a well-built body under his loose desert livery. She blushed and mentally berated herself for her last observation, though in her defence she _was_ a single woman.

"Sakura," Hinata began, clasping her hands on the desk before in a business-like manner, "I would like to introduce you to Gaara of the Wind Kingdom."

Before Sakura could properly greet him, the man named Gaara regarded for a moment and that's when was taken aback when she saw the full extent of his looks. He was extremely handsome, in a desert vagabond manner, with his wild red hair framing his unabashedly striking face. From between his locks she could see the tattoo of 'love' in formal script on his forehead and the glint of multiple piercings on his ears. But his eyes were the feature that captured Sakura's attention the most. Unlike Neji, whose eyes exuded cold fury, Gaara's jade eyes looked like he was suppressing a fiery passion that he was constantly struggling to keeping in check. She could see that he had a scowl on his face, as if sizing her up, and looked like he wasn't impressed with what he saw. His lip curled disapprovingly and he continued to look forward, snubbing her.

'_What the hell?'_ Though Sakura was offended by this stranger's unfounded dislike of her, she was mature enough to shrug it off.

"You may not of have heard of him," Tsunade said, oblivious of the exchange that just happened, "but Gaara was a top general in the Six Year War. Without his remarkable skills, Neji's team would never have been able to elude enemy detection in the sea and infiltrate their main stronghold. Needless to say, we are forever indebted to him."

"Which brings me to why you are here, Sakura," said Hinata. "Gaara has come all the way from Suna to ask for our assistance. It seems that his brother has been ill with an unknown affliction ever since the war ended and his condition has worsened dramatically. The Wind doctors have tried everything and don't know what's wrong with him."

Sakura inwardly groaned. She knew where the conversation was heading.

"We need you to accompany Gaara back to Suna and treat his brother. You must understand that both Tsunade and I think that you are the Fire Kingdom's best physician. We would not send our allies anything less." Hinata said with conviction.

"I know you are the most qualified person for the job, Sakura," the blond piped in, "This will be an excellent opportunity to learn different techniques from the Wind as well. Don't worry about the Queen—I will take over your prenatal care from here. It is imperative that we find out what is wrong with Gaara's brother and cure him."

Sakura nodded, biting her lip as she digested the information. "How soon do we leave?"

This time, it was the redhead who spoke.

"Right now," he said gruffly, looking at her out of the corner of his eye harshly.

Sakura paused. Right at this very moment?

"I hope that's not a problem for you Sakura," Hinata said when she noticed the pink-haired doctor's hesitation.

Sakura replied hastily, "No, no, I was just thinking of a few errands that I will have to run before leaving. I can have myself ready within the hour."

"Very well. I expect to see you at the town's gate by then," Gaara growled as he picked up his massive gourd and strapped it to his back. He nodded to the Queen and strutted arrogantly out of the room.

Tsunade was shocked by the redhead's brusqueness, but then broke out in a huge grin.

"Good luck kiddo!" She patted Sakura's shoulder in sympathy as she roared with laughter.

The pink-haired doctor grimaced.

This would be a long trip indeed.

.

.

Gaara looked like he was the type who didn't like to be kept waiting. Gazing at the clock in her bedroom, she had only half an hour to get ready and arrive at the town gates. Grabbing a small suitcase, she took only the bare necessities, some medical literature and a purse full of money. While she didn't look forward to travelling to the Wind Kingdom with a surly companion, she was uplifted at the thought of going on a trip and having the opportunity to decompress, away from her home, away from the hospital and away from any chance of running into Neji for quite some time.

Wearing a sleeveless white baby-doll tunic and loose cotton pants, Sakura felt that she was dressed for the heat. She hurried down the streets, taking shortcuts through narrow alleyways and jumped fences so that she would be not just on time, but possible even early. Though she disliked Gaara for his rough attitude and wanted to call him out for his awful manners, she also knew that it would be best not to get on his bad side for the remainder of her journey.

Even if he was a decorated general, he still looked and acted like a desert bandit.

Reaching Konoha's gates, the accomplished doctor found that the redhead was nowhere to be seen.

"Hmph! Looks like someone's late!" Sakura said out loud.

At that moment, she felt grains of sand fall from the sky. Looking up, she felt her stomach drop; it was Gaara, casually sitting on one of the gate's pillars. The sand collected in front of him and with his first rate sand skills, he moulded it into a platform which lowered him safely to the ground.

When he looked at her with smugly with a raised brow, Sakura's face turned a deep shade of crimson.

Attempting to diffuse her embarrassing slip, Sakura queried, "How will we be travelling to Suna, General Gaara?"

"Don't call me General, woman," he snapped at her immediately. "My name is Gaara, and you will address me as such. As for travel, we will be walking to the Westward River port and then boarding a ferry into the Duchy of the Waves. After which, we shall be going on foot again to Suna." He was very direct and authoritative, traits that riled Sakura's choler.

'_Woman'_? How dare he address her with such disrespect! She was leaving her home and post to help him, at the _request_ of the Queen and not her order!

But then she remembered how the Queen had sent her, thereby putting her reputation as a Wind ally on the line. She could not shame her, especially not to the one whom the whole Kingdom was indebted to. Sucking up her pride, Sakura decided to set her face in a stoic veneer of indifference and would not be coaxed by Gaara's provocations.

'_Lead the way, Gaara,'_ Sakura strained with a smile as she followed the rough redhead out of Konoha's gates.

.

.

Sakura wanted to shoot herself in the head. Really, she did.

By the time they had reached the Westward River port, she was at her wit's end. She was sure that she had been imagining Gaara ever speaking because the man was an absolute mute. The entire trek was done in silence; whenever she tried to sidestep his awful demeanour and make small conversation, he would pointedly ignore her. When she tripped over a small rock and cursed when she saw that the hem of her trousers was frayed, she could swear that she heard him laughing at her.

Bastard.

As they were buying tickets for the ferry, Sakura hoped that there would be room for her to have a compartment to herself. Alas, they were informed that the ferry was full since it was high season and that they were lucky to have a compartment and not share it with other passengers.

Again, Sakura did not look forward to the prospect of having to sit across from a surly, mean-spirited man for four hours.

Boarding the ferry and entering their designated compartment, Sakura sat by the window and took out a few medical books. Gaara sat across from her and set his gourd beside him, crossing his arms over his broad chest and making a point of ignoring her by closing his eyes and going to sleep. As the ferry was well into the waters, she tired of her medical books and fished through her bag for a lighter read. Pulling out her favourite book, Sakura caressed the worn cover with a ghost of a smile. It was the book her mother had given her for her sixteenth birthday, about a young shepherd who had a dream that he had gone to the Eastern lands and found a treasure of gold. Setting out to realize this dream, the boy travelled to fantastical lands and met equally fantastical people in pursuit of this treasure. Sakura laughed softly as she remembered the emotion that overcame her when she read the ending—when the boy found out that the treasure his dream was speaking of wasn't the gold, but the experiences he had that made his memories precious. A lone tear escaped her eyes when she looked back out at the sea, recalling the knowing smile her mother gave her when Sakura recounted the tale her. If only she truly capitalized on _her_ life when she was that young.

"Why are you crying?" A rough, low voice emanated. Gaara no longer had his eyes closed, but fully open with a discerning glint.

"I'm not crying," said she defiantly, wiping at the tear.

"I tell you that you are," the redhead pressed her confidently, a small smirk spreading on his lips.

"Even if I was," Sakura felt her anger rise at his impudence, "why do you care? So you can take pleasure in my suffering?" She blurted out in a snarky attitude but then instantly regretted her loose tongue.

His eyes widened with blazed fury as his lips thinned dangerously.

"Do you think that I am a heartless brigand?" He questioned her quietly. Sakura thought that she imagined it, but no—he was _hurt_ by her accusation.

This, of course, made her feel even worse.

"No, I don't," she replied remorsefully. "I—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say those things." She slowly looked up at him and locked her emerald eyes with his jade to solidify her apology.

He seemed to be struggling at what to say next, as his mouth opened and closed and his eyebrows furrowed. "I...must apologize for my conduct also. I," he sighed before he continued, "seem to be in a bad mood as of late."

That was an understatement.

"My brother's illness worries me greatly," he bit his lip as he divulged this tidbit of information. Sakura was slightly taken back by how his demeanour had changed so drastically. "I don't mean to take it out on you. It's just that..."

Sakura raised her eyebrow. "Just what?"

"Well, I find women to be incompetent," Gaara replied with a straight face. "I'm sceptical that your abilities are as great as the Queen says."

Normally Sakura would've lashed out at him for making such a sexist statement but he was being brutally honest with her and telling her what he thought, which was an improvement from his prior muteness. She supposed that she was lucky that the first man she was ever involved with was a bit of a chauvinist too—she knew how to deal with them.

"Let me ask you this then, Gaara," Sakura began her rebuttal calmly, "If women are so incompetent, why is it that all of your country's top doctors, whom I assume are all male, are unable to properly diagnose your brother?"

For the first time, Gaara had smiled genuinely at Sakura. She had made her point and he had conceded.

"I...I understand what it feels like to worry for your family," Sakura continued earnestly. "And I promise you, Gaara, that I will do everything in my power to help."

Gaara nodded, still smiling at her. "Yes, yes I believe you." The tension that he had been carrying ever since Konoha had dissipated, replaced by warmth and openness.

Things had finally changed between them and Sakura was grateful that if was for the better. She just hadn't expected that his smile would make her heart pound so uncontrollably.

.

.

After that awkward moment in the ferry, Gaara and Sakura truly hit it off. She realized that his conduct towards her previously wasn't so much that he was worried about this brother but also that he mistrusted people in general—something that was useful in the war but difficult to shake off after. He told her of his difficult childhood, of how his mother had died in delivering him, confirming that he had in fact inherited the coveted rare bloodline technique of manipulating the sand. He grew up being feared by his peers due to the erratic nature of his skill, which he had not mastered yet, and thus preferred solitude. He disliked being associated to the military not because he wasn't proud to serve his country, but that it constantly reminded him of the fact that he had been trained his whole life to become a human weapon. This accounted for his poor social skills.

Sakura found Gaara to be an excellent listener, as he queried her on her life and her accomplishments. She told him about her stuck-up aristocratic family and the challenges she faced trying to get parental approval to get into medical school. She didn't tell him about Neji or the details of Mother and Sanna's deaths, feeling that she didn't know Gaara long enough to divulge that kind of personal information. But she did tell him of her career and other things along those lines. She also didn't want to try and gain his sympathy—though she was sure that he was the type to like people based on their merits.

Regardless, Sakura felt that, though their backgrounds were very different, they connected somehow and she appreciated that he seemed to feel that way too. It was the first time in a long time that she felt such a close connection with man...barring Neji.

When they descended off the ferry, Gaara led them to the outer edges of the Desert Mountains, marking the border into the Wind Kingdom.

Upon seeing the jagged and rough, sandy terrain, Sakura felt that her footwear was most inadequate.

"I don't think that my feet will survive these mountains, Gaara," Sakura laughed blankly.

Gaara, on the other hand, looked like he had a trick up his sleeve.

"When I told you that we would be going to Suna on foot, I didn't mean it literally," he grinned. "Watch this."

What Sakura saw unfold before was nothing short of spectacular. The redhead had summoned the sand around them, as streams of it collected together at Gaara's command. As they shifted and smoothed, she saw a perfect replica of an intricately woven Persian carpet before them. Gaara jumped onto the floating sand carpet and Sakura was mightily impressed. He looked like an Arabian knight, with his red scarf artfully bundled around his neck and shoulders, highlighting his untamed locks that danced with the wind, and the massive gourd strapped to his back with knots of billowing fabric. He sat cross-legged and held out a gauntleted hand to Sakura, entreating her to join him. Just as she intended toward him, he cheekily lifted Sakura from her backside with a gust of sand and plopped her beside him.

When she turned to lightly reprimand him from his cheek, he had smiled at her like he did in the ferry and that left her lost for words.

"Hold on tight," he said with a grin.

When he willed the carpet to fly, she didn't know that it was the most thrilling thing she had ever experienced in her life.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: OMG. This is probably my favourite chapter so far. I know guys, it's long, but I HAD to post it as one long unit. I like long chapters—don't you? Man, I'm totally conflicted now. I'm really feeling the chemistry between Gaara and Sakura (yes, I AM an avid Gaara+Sakura fan too). Especially with that flying carpet moment? I just wanted to die right there—I totally have so many ideas now! Damn you Gaara and your amazing sand powers! I'm even itching to even change how the story ends...maybe :P Now y'all know that Gaara is my favourite character in Naruto (my first authoring venture was on Gaara!) YAY!

Whoah, my midterms are coming up, so I probably won't be able to update until late February. Sorry guys! Anyways, please tell me what you thought of this chapter and how the story is progressing!

-Arwitzle


	5. V: Acknowledgement

**Persuasion**

_Synopsis:_ _His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

V: Acknowledgement

.

.

.

.

.

The wind whipped her cherry locks wildly behind her, filling her with the rush of near-flight. She gripped the fabric of his sleeve as if her dear life depended on it. A muscular arm then enveloped her and pulled her close. Shocked, she looked up at Gaara, unsure of how to act. "For your safety," he explained with a straight face as his arm pulled her in even closer. When she thought he wasn't looking, she stole a peek at his face and saw a smile resting on his lips.

Settling comfortably in his arms, she knew that her wellbeing wasn't the only reason for the embrace. And she was fine with that.

"How much longer to Suna?" she asked, almost shouting above the whistling of the passing winds.

"Judging by the sun, we'll be there by after nightfall," he shouted back. When he noticed Sakura's eyes closing and then suddenly fluttering open, he said, "Go to sleep. I'll wake you when we get there."

"Hmmm," was her reply as she buried her face into the side of his chest. Exhaustion from travelling over six hours was beginning to creep up on her. But oh, how secure she felt in his arms! Letting her hand fall on the crook of his forearm, she noticed how hard and sculpted his muscles were under the fabric of his desert robes. When was the last time she was held like this—held in the comforting embrace of a man?

Drifting out of consciousness, all she could smell was a combination of the fresh outdoors and hints of jasmine.

Gaara's scent...

_._

_._

_It was a beautiful place, the Temple's courtyard. Enclosed around the high walls of the Temple, a stone fountain was located in the middle, surrounded by manicured grass and small weeping willows. The statues around the fountain and the high walls of the Temple were covered with ivy and dotted with roses. Some statues had been broken by the workings of time, others withstood the test. The Temple's courtyard was always deserted at this time of night. Wondrous in its ancient beauty, lit with a magical aura by the luminous fireflies and occasional crooning of the songbirds—for this young couple, it was the perfect sanctuary._

_For this was the place where he held her, encasing her with his undying love. _

_I'll never let you go, he vowed with quiet passion. He would love her, he would stay with her, until the day he died._

_Lost to the world, all she could feel were strong hands on her hips, moving slowly to cup her backside and then tracing up her back as soft lips enveloped upon hers. _

_Hundreds of emotions blossomed within her. But this one feeling...it felt like her heart was lifting from her bosom with absolute elation, filling with a passion so great that her heart could burst._

_Could it be...?_

_...Love?_

_She felt tears trace down her cheeks. He looked at her with a questioning expression. Had he done something wrong? _

_No, she reassured him, no. Cupping his cheeks, she smiled and said:_

"_Whatever happens, I will never stop loving you, Neji Hyuuga."_

.

.

.

The warm rays of the sun caressed her face and invaded her closed eyes. Slowly rising from the depths of unconsciousness, she found herself tucked into a bed that certainly wasn't hers. Rubbing the flecks of dirt from her eyes, she realized that her face was wet. Had she been crying in her sleep? Looking down at her hands, she also found her right palm imprinted with the filigree design from clutching her locket. Would her heart never sever their bonds attached to that infuriating Byakugan master?

She keenly assessed the room she was in and realized that it must be in Gaara's home—for the air held his distinct scent. It was surprisingly well furnished, as the walls were decorated with traditional Wind art and sitting atop many of the tables and drawers were intricate wooden statues. Her bed was facing away from the large window that covered the majority of the wall, allowing the wind to freely flow into the room and properly ventilate it. She hazarded to guess that the summer nights in Suna must be stifling hot.

Finding a folded set of clothing that Gaara must have left her before he had gone off, it composed of a sleeveless blue cotton tunic and cropped trousers. She was touched by the redhead's thoughtfulness. She quickly showered, dressed and slung her book bag over her shoulders, ready to start her day. Before she opened the door to leave, she found a note pinned to the door.

_Gone to the castle. Hospital is just straight ahead. Will see you there this afternoon._

—_Gaara_

Upon departing Gaara's home, she found herself in the heart of Suna's downtown core. The buildings were spaced apart unlike Konoha's confined designs, as the city ran at a decidedly slower, more leisurely pace, barring the odd courier who zoomed down the road with their motorized scooters, shouting warnings to the incoming pedestrians. The fashion of the people was very much different from Konoha as well; everyone wore light clothing befitting the desert climate. From the flowing, elegant silk dresses that the women wore to the shirtless men with billowing desert trousers, Sakura was captivated by the exotic ambiance of Suna. Children ate delectable treats bought from street vendors known as gelato—a Wind Kingdom delicacy—as they were being entertained by street-side performers juggling swords and blowing streams of fire from their mouths.

When she caught herself basking in the wonderful weather and admiring the summer diversions Suna had to offer, she quickly backtracked and reminded herself that she came to here not for a vacation, but to help cure an ailing patient. Following Gaara's vague directions, he was in fact right and the hospital was in plain view from his home. Upon arrival, she had no problem informing the staff who she was; it appeared everyone was expecting the pink haired royal doctor from Konoha, courtesy of General Gaara.

"Here's an overcoat, Dr. Haruno," Sheena, one of the hospital's registered nurses and Sakura's de facto assistant, handed her. "I also have the briefings from Drs. Braddock and Gemmal as well."

Donning the starched white jacket and leafing through the report, Sakura thanked Sheena.

"I hope you can find out what's wrong with Mr. Kankuro," the mousy haired nurse said as she led them to said patient's room. "He's getting less responsive every day."

That worried the pink haired woman. "And how are his vitals? It says here that his brain function is fine."

"Yes, but he's been in a coma since last week. And when we scanned it, the prints showed no injuries or abnormalities. We really don't know what's going on," Sheena admitted sadly. Stopping abruptly, she led them into Kankuro's room.

Though it was always unfortunate when someone was stricken with any kind of dilapidating condition, the thought of a mystery waiting to be solved thrilled the medical genius.

Entering the room, she found Kankuro lying upon his bed with electrodes on his exposed torso and IV tubes stuck in his forearms. His skin was a strange colour, somewhere between grey and blue and that instantly worried her. _Oxygen deprivation?_ There had to be some antigen inside him causing all these anomalies, she was sure.

Armed with a stethoscope and a keen eye, she palpated Kankuro's exposed upper body, pressing into strategic places on his torso as she listened to his heart beat. Opening his mouth and using a small flash light, she peered into the cervices of his cheeks and gums, nodding all the while. His mouth had a distinctly purple tinge, including the membranes surrounding his eyes and nostrils. There was definitely something sucking the life out of his body, and if it was what she feared, then she knew that no modern instrument could detect it.

"Sheena, where was Kankuro deployed last in the war?" she queried the nurse.

"He was stationed in the Raoult Current," answered a voice that was not Sheena.

The petite nurse squeaked in surprise with she saw the tall frame of Gaara leaning against the doorway.

.

.

Gaara watched Sakura with mild apprehension. "Kankuro was placed there for strategic purposes in the last few days of the war. Why is that important?"

A knowing smile crept on her lips. "Sheena, I'll need a bottle of general anaesthetic, PVP and a lumbar needle, on the double." When the petite nurse scuttled out of the room, the pink haired doctor then turned her attention to Gaara. "And you—I'll need you to help me turn him over."

The redhead gave her a quizzical look. Clicking her tongue, she added, "I'll show you what I'm talking about. Just help me do it."

Frowning at the fact that she had the gall to not only order him, but in such an impatient manner, Gaara grudgingly obeyed—if only for his brother's sake. Heaving Kankuro onto his side, Gaara heard Sakura hum in satisfaction. "Hold him there for a little bit," she said. When Sheena returned with the required tools, he watched Sakura silently go to work. She sanitized her hands, swabbed his entire back with an orange solution and then slowly inserted the syringe into Kankuro's lower back. Pulling up the plunger, thick, milky fluid flooded into the syringe's tube. Sakura sighed, smiling in relief. She then grabbed a pair of tweezers and attempted to pick something from the small opening. Gaara watched her keenly as her brows furrowed and bit her lip, devoting all of her attention to the patient. She asked him to pass her the flashlight, which greatly facilitated her task, as she immediately plucked something out. It was finer than a hair and barely glinted in the light. It looked like a near-invisible needle.

The effect on Kankuro was instantaneous. He groaned, deeply inhaling and exhaling as his skin began to lose its sickly pallor.

"This," she said triumphantly, holding up the tweezers, "is the culprit."

"What is it?" he queried, slightly unconvinced.

"It's a gyorgfish tooth," she answered matter-of-factly. "I've only seen it in one of Tsunade's case studies taken over twenty years ago. See how thin it is? And the fact that it's made out of organic fibres? Nothing would be able to detect it." Sakura bit her lip thoughtfully as she watched the patient beginning to toss and turn. "Kankuro is lucky to be alive. The poison released by the fibres doubles every few days. We need to clean out his blood and give him medication immediately." She ordered Sheena to patch up the open site with gauze while she started to fill in the dossier.

Gaara was still wary. "But how did it get there?"

She paused, frowning slightly as the wheels of her mind turned. "The only place that you could possibly see a gyorgfish is in the Raoult Current in the Water Kingdom, but even then they typically aren't in shallow waters. So getting bitten, much less a tooth lodged in your back, is extremely rare." Sakura gave the dossier to Sheen and told her to pass it on to the head doctors. Turning back to she noticed the questioning look in reflected in his eyes. "The only reason I knew was because of the strange colour of his gums and cheeks—that, and a good old dose of _female_ intuition." She smiled proudly and winked.

He couldn't help but grin sheepishly. What a fool he had been, to doubt Sakura Haruno's talents for even a second.

.

.

.

Time flew by quickly in Suna, Sakura observed.

It had been just over three weeks since she successfully diagnosed Kankuro, but it felt much shorter than that. Hinata had given her leave of her royal duties for the time being, urging Sakura to take a vacation that she longed deserved. What she hadn't expected during this time was that she would become such close friends with Gaara.

He insisted that she stay with him during her time in Suna so he could properly introduce her to the beauty and splendour of his hometown. Between volunteering in Suna General's ICU and checking on Kankuro, Sakura spent most of her time with the temperamental redhead. In truth, Gaara was the most thoughtful of hosts—bringing her lunch when she would be so immersed in her patients that she would forget to eat, carrying her to his home when she would fall asleep on the desk after working herself ragged into the small hours of the night...taking her to the mountain side on his fantastic flying carpet...

They were currently on such a trip, sitting atop a lofty plateau and watching the sun set. Stealing a glance at him, she admired the serene expression on his face. His eyes were clear and calm, and there was a soft smile playing on his lips.

"I know that I'm dashingly handsome, Sakura, but must you remind me every day when I catch you staring?" The soft smile twisted into an impish grin when he caught her.

Hot embarrassment crept on her cheeks. "You insufferable jerk!" she playfully punched him in the arm. "And I wasn't staring! You'll never charm a woman with such conceit!"

"Careful, Haruno. I'll have you know that plenty of women fall for my alpha male confidence."

She scoffed. "Maybe feckless schoolgirls are impressed but not smart classy women, I assure you."

His eyes glinted mischievously. "Is that so?" He leaned in closer. "And what _impresses_ a smart classy woman like yourself?"

Sakura laughed. He was doing it again, trying to seduce her. It was no secret between the two that Gaara was fond of Sakura, especially after she treated Kankuro. At first she suspected that he was just being appreciative for what she did for his brother, but that excuse quickly fell away when she overheard the nurses gossiping on how they wished they were in her place, being the sole object of Gaara's attention. She knew that they shared this strange chemistry that intensified daily—but she would be the one to put an end to it. She kept telling herself that she needed time to be herself—it was only recently that she broke off the toxic shackles of waiting for Neji—or at least, feeling guilty about him. But she couldn't deny that she had feelings for Gaara. Admittedly, she was extremely attracted to his drop-dead good looks.

And, needless to say, the times when she would be in close proximity to a terribly handsome man weakened her resolved.

Times like right now.

He was sitting so close to her that their faces were barely two inches apart. She admired how thick and dark his eyelashes were, how they contrasted his light green eyes and slightly freckled skin. His breath kissed her face, sending electrifying sensations all over her body. Sakura found herself being drawn in by the allure of his exotic features and intoxicating scent...

But she couldn't do it.

She pulled back mechanically. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Gaara's intense eyes blazed. "Is there someone else?"

"Gaara..." She felt guilty. It wasn't because she didn't like him. She was extremely attracted to him. But a part of her couldn't genuinely reciprocate his feelings; her heart had unfinished business.

His eyes softened with understanding. "Don't worry about it," he said, looking ahead. He then gazed at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled at her when he added, "Trust me."

That smile...with that smile, Gaara immediately reassured her.

He was someone she could trust.

"You must understand. I did love someone once, but that was a long time ago..." And she told him everything, about Neji, about her family and the shocking deaths of her younger sister and mother and how the Hyuuga had spitefully treated her. As usual, Gaara was more than an apt listener, comforting her when she recounted the pain of the deaths and cursing Neji for his stupidity

"So," he said when she finished. "do you still harbour affections for the Hyuuga?" In all honesty, he wanted to wring that pompous prick's neck for the pain he purposefully caused Sakura.

The beautiful doctor bit her lower lip. "Yes. I do. Though I don't think I can say the same for him."

"I see," Gaara said thoughtfully. "Well, it's quite clear from his actions that he _does_ in fact have feelings for you—he wouldn't have gone through such pains to hurt you if he didn't."

"You think so?" She asked, uncertain.

"I know so. We men... when we fall in love, we fall hard. But the fact of the matter is that the Hyuuga's manly pride has taken a hit from what you did to him. You should've expected a cold counterattack, Sakura."

"But what do I do now? I can't even get close to him, much less explain myself!" Sakura exclaimed hopelessly.

At that, Gaara's lips twisted into a devious, lopsided grin. "Oh, I know how you can get his attention."

The pink haired woman interest was piqued. "What do you mean?"

His devilish smirk only intensified. "You didn't know? He's due to arrive tomorrow to visit our King. There's to be a soiree in his honour...and I'm sure you will encounter him again. But this time, we're going to put on a little show. One that will make him regret ever hurting you."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What're you planning, Gaara?"

"Don't worry, Sakura," Gaara rose to his feet and offered her his hand. "I only want you to be happy. If creating an opportunity for you to speak to the Hyuuga will do that, then I am satisfied. Besides, I still owe you for Kankuro." He winked.

Sakura was touched by Gaara's sincerity. Accepting his hand, she laughed. "Why do I feel like I'm back in my days in the Academy?" She put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "You know, Gaara, I feel like had we been born in another time and another place—we would have made a great couple."

Gaara planted a kiss on her forehead in return and sighed.

_Maybe in a past life, we were...?_

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: Stay tuned for the next chapter! Expect some Neji/Sakura/Gaara action. Yay! Let the Let's-Make-Neji-Jealous Games begin!

-Arwitzle


	6. VI: Revelations

**Persuasion**

_Synopsis:_ _His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

VI: Revelations

.

.

.

.

.

Neji wasn't sure what to feel anymore.

As their travels around the Fire Kingdom had come to an end, the King and the ANBU captain were currently at the port town of Resthaven. According to the King, they were to stop here before making their rounds to the Wind Kingdom as a courtesy. Neji didn't mind at all; he was looking forward to seeing his war comrades again.

Yet here Neji was, mindlessly meandering around the hustle and bustle of the lively port town, unsure of what to do; Naruto had been away in town on official business concerning fishery contracts so the Hyuuga prodigy had the whole day to himself.

He didn't like having nothing to do, for idleness always meant that he would dwell on his thoughts...and he only thought of one thing...

Guilt riddled the core of his being, unable to shake the moment where he last saw her. He couldn't forget that look on her face...that look of devastation that pierced his soul and melted his cold cruelty. He couldn't erase how her lip trembled as her hand gripped that precious locket...

The rambling of his thoughts was broken by an oncoming projectile whistling through the air.

Innate fighting instincts kicking in from battle, Neji deftly caught the oncoming object with ease.

_A brick?_ He whipped around, ready to engage his assailant. When he saw who dared throw such a rudimentary object at the renowned Hyuuga, he snorted. "Of all the places in the southern coast, this is the last place I'd expect to find..."

His tunic sat bundled around his waist as his exposed upper body and face were covered with black soot, sweat and the smell of gunpowder. Bandages which sheathed his forehead, left eye and neck were also filthy with soot and grime. He was carrying a heavy bundle of iron rods over his shoulder and clutching a bag of food in his other hand. Sporting his usual sarcastic smirk, dark hair and inky black eyes, it was unmistakeably...

A ghost of a smile graced the silver eyed man's lips. "...Sasuke the Sharingan master."

"Better not let Itachi hear you calling me that," Sasuke grinned. "And what do I owe the honour of _Sir_ Neji Hyuuga in our humble town?"

"I haven't seen you since before the end of the war, my friend," he clasped hands with the Uchiha. "The King and I stopped here before going on to Suna. But I should ask you the same thing."

Sasuke gestured at the iron rods stacked on his shoulder. "Opened a weapons' shop with Itachi here; perfect kind of business in this here parts." He shrugged. "How have you been?"

"Good. But I see that you're looking a little worse for wear." Neji replied. "Still recovering from using that insane technique I see."

Sasuke shrugged. "What—you mean from using _ameratsu_? C'mon Hyuuga, I know that you look up to my superior skills, but I did take out a whole enemy platoon for you."

_That's right._

Sasuke had selflessly acted as a mole within the Water general's circle, exhausting his mangekyo Sharingan in the process as he slowly manipulated the enemy's inner circle and attained invaluable intelligence which he leaked to the ANBU captain. In a final act of, in Neji's opinion, insanity, the Uchiha used the most dangerous technique—the _ameratsu_—acting as a one-man army, incinerating thousands of enemy combatants, decisively turning the tide of the war and giving the rare opportunity to Gaara and Neji's units to pass into enemy waters undetected. Needless to say, if it hadn't been for Sasuke's bravery, the Six Year war would still be on going with much more casualties.

"I'm surprised that you aren't completely blind. From what I remember, your eyes were crying rivers of blood," observed Neji. "And going mad, at that."

"Hmph," Sasuke scoffed. "You would be going crazy too if you spent years meticulously releasing illusions. As for my eyes, I've got Itachi to thank for that. If he and his Root squad had come a moment later, I would've been a dead man. I shouldn't be able to see either, but what a miracle, my eyes seem to be healing. But I'll be lucky if I'm able to use my sharingan ever again, much less the mangekyo."

The man was lucky to still be alive in one piece and he knew it too, though from the fact that he was still nursing bandages for what must be three months now meant that his recovery would be painfully slow.

"Hey, don't you go feeling sorry for me," Sasuke snapped when he saw the pitiful look Neji was giving him, "I'm quite the wealthy blacksmith now. I'm going back to the shop right now, if you care for a little diversion."

Neji heartily agreed with the offer.

.

.

Business at the Uchiha Blacksmithery was booming.

Outside the shop, Neji could see customers filed down into lengthy queues twisting around the bend. The atmosphere was hectic, frenzied with the anticipation of buying goods from the newly established shop.

When Sasuke noticed Neji's surprise, he explained, "Our shop was pretty popular when we first opened, but this is not normal. It's because Itachi decided to open a shooting range in the back." His voice was edged with annoyance. "He's been letting these fools challenge his marksmanship in exchange for purchasing our goods. I mean, business has increased over 400% but we can't keep up." Sighing in resignation he led the way.

Upon nearing the shop, Neji could smell the distinct odour of burning charcoal and melting iron. The building itself was a two-storey complex with an open-concept store front. Fortified with glass and iron, the Uchiha Blacksmithery was a formidable sight to behold.

Inside there was hardly any space to breathe, much less walk. Customers were clamouring for wares, with groups of people chattering away about the latest gadgets designed by the Uchiha Brothers.

"Sasuke, there you are!" A young woman with dark hair tied into sleek ponytail managed to catch the sight of the pair. Wrestling through the throng of eager people, she wasted no time. "Thank goodness you're here—and with the iron!" She sighed in relief, as if the apocalypse would've happened otherwise.

Sasuke passed the load over. "Here you go Natsu. And tell Ino that I'd rather not use Darel again for last minute iron. That man's a crook."

"Hey, Ino is at the cash so you can tell her that yourself! I have to run back to the blacksmith or else they'll wring my neck!" And she wove her way quickly through the crowd.

The front desk was even more hectic than the surrounding sales floor. The clerks dressed in distinctive red aprons bearing the Uchiha fan were shouting at the customers, since a regular voice level proved useless with such a mob. More than five people were behind the desks ringing people through, wrapping weapons in decorated cloths and taking orders for specialty weapons. It was an exciting kind of chaos.

"Is it like this all the time?" Neji had to shout so Sasuke could hear him.

"This is nothing!" he shouted back cantankerously. "You should see us in the weekend—pure madness!"

"Sasuke!" Someone shouted in their direction. When the pair reached the front desk, it looked like the manager of the shop from the different coloured apron she wore. She was very pregnant, from the way her yellow apron bulged from her belly. Her bright golden hair was tied into an intricate braid and her decidedly pretty face was etched with annoyance. She passed on her task to a nearby employee and stomped up to them. "What took you so long? We needed those iron rods two hours ago!"

"Hey, don't blame me!" Sasuke retorted. "That Darel character you ordered the last minute iron from tried to cheat me! It took every ounce of my willpower not to kill him!"

"Oh, don't you start getting smart with me!" she cried shrilly, pointing a shaking finger at him. "You think everyone's trying to cheat you! You're only mad because you couldn't use that goddamn Sharingan to trick people into doing what you..." her voice dropped when she noticed who was standing beside Sasuke. "Honey, who is this?"

"Well, if you didn't starting yelling at me, woman, I would've told you already," he shrugged and then pointed his thumb at the tall silver-eyed man. "Neji, this is my wife, Ino Yamanaka. Ino, this is Neji Hyuuga."

"Nice to meet you," Neji said politely.

"Wait—you don't mean _Sir_ Neji Hyuuga?" Her face immediately brightened. "Oh, he's just as handsome as they say he is!"

"Hmph! Say that right in front of me, why don't you?" The Uchiha huffed, crossing his arms.

"Oh, Sasuke, don't be so _jealous_!" Ino cooed at him patronizingly. "Come, Sir Hyuuga, are you hungry? I'll fix you up an excellent meal! And Sasuke dear," her voice suddenly became menacing, "go clean up for our guest."

Though the Sharingan user was visibly ticked off, he surprisingly complied. "I swear to God, woman, if you weren't carrying my unborn son, I'd have throttled you by now."

"Tough talk from a wounded veteran! And I pray to God that this kid is born with better manners than his father! Now get your ass into the shower!"

The irritable Uchiha disappeared upstairs and Ino grabbed Neji's arm. "Come, Sir Hyuuga—"

"Please, just call me Neji."

"Well, alright Neji, I'll fix you some tea!"

.

.

Sitting in the warmly furnished living room, Neji took a swing of the tea Ino prepared for him. It was minty and fresh with a distinctive aftertaste.

He couldn't believe it. Not only was Sasuke Uchiha married, but he had a child on the way as well. And this was from the man who entered into the Academy with a dark, troubled past, unable to form proper attachments with anyone after witnessing his parents being brutally murdered in front of him by vagabonds. They bonded in military school in their own strange way as both of them were essentially orphans, competing as rivals and working towards honing their respective bloodline techniques. Sasuke always a singular sort of person and preferred working solo, hence his choice to become the Fire Kingdom's double agent. From what he knew of the Uchiha, he could never let go of his toxic inner rage, could never forgive the harsh world for what happened to him...yet here he was, him and his wife, living a new life running a successful Blacksmithery together.

Perhaps using _ameratsu_ was good for the troubled Uchiha. With his Sharingan out for the foreseeable future, Sasuke had taken the opportunity to change professions and settle down. Neji could only imagine the trials his wife went through up until this point.

He heard Sasuke leave the bathroom and enter into the kitchen, where Ino was working over the stove, stirring a pot. Still not completely dry, his newly applied bandages were mildly soaked and his hair was matted to his scalp. He wrapped his arms around his wife from behind, caressing her bulging belly lovingly and rocked her to unknown rhythm side-to-side. Ino placed a hand on top of Sasuke's.

"Little Uchiha can't wait to see you," Neji heard her whisper.

"And I can't wait to see him," he murmured back.

The image of him being in Sasuke's place, rubbing the belly of a pregnant Sakura flashed in his mind. Neji looked away, his face burning, and focused on his teacup.

Sasuke kissed Ino and sauntered out of the kitchen, joining the frowning Byakugan user.

"What's on your mind, Hyuuga? The last time I saw that look on your face, I had beaten you in our first training round."

Neji laughed emptily. "Hah. You threw dirt in my eyes. I hardly consider that a win."

"All's fair in love and war, my friend," Sasuke countered with a snarky grin.

"So, Ino looks like she's due any week now," Neji changed subjects swiftly.

Sasuke casually poured himself a cup of mint tea and nodded his head from side-to-side, as if calculating something. "Actually, I would say any day now. Itachi's been sticking around just in case her water breaks while I'm out."

"And how is Itachi doing?"

"You mean, other than making my life hell with that shooting range? Good. His family's up in the Iron Kingdom, running the supplier end of the business. Does some work with Root too, but only training operations," Sasuke heaved a sigh. "It seems everyone is eager to put the military in the backburner."

"Makes sense, after six years of instability," said Neji. "And you're one to talk. You've completely shunned anything related to the military. You've settled down. Got married. Have a son on the way. I never expected that from you."

At that, the Uchiha snorted. "Nope, I didn't either."

"What changed your mind, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, c'mon Hyuuga, you don't need me to spell it out for you," Sasuke rolled his eye. He pointed his thumb over his shoulder, towards the kitchen entrance and Ino. "_She_ changed my mind, of course." A rare, warm smile spread on his lips. "You don't find someone like that, Neji, not in a million years. She stuck out for me, through thick and thin. Yes, we used to be off and on, but I never took her seriously until I almost died after using _ameratsu_. She risked her life by entering my soul and freeing me from its madness."

He put down his teacup and leaned forward, clasping his hands. "It hasn't been a cakewalk, you know? She almost left me when I found out I couldn't use my sharingan. I was a spiteful, unbearable bastard and unfairly took it out on her." He laughed dryly when he continued, "As if she didn't have enough on her plate, carrying a baby and taking care of me. I drove her away, almost past the point of no return. I used every non-existent romantic bone in my body to win her back."

"You? Romantic?" Neji said incredulously.

Sasuke was completely serious. "That's right, Hyuuga. When you find the love of your life, you better do whatever you damn well can to keep 'em. Pride doesn't have a say in the matter. Pride won't bear your children, pride won't stay with you until you're old and saggy, and pride certainly won't warm your bed at night. So you swallow your pride and stake your claim..."

His only visible eye glinted with flinty resolve.

"...No matter what."

.

.

.

When the pair finally parted ways, Sasuke made the ANBU captain promise to visit again to meet his soon-to-be-born son; unfortunately, Itachi was still busy taking on foolhardy challenges and could only spare a brief good-bye. Naruto had finished his business early and required the two of them to leave as soon as possible for Suna. Apparently a storm was reported brewing in the south and they had to leave now before it delayed their departure. After six hours at sea, they took a train from the South City of the Wind Kingdom to connect them to the capitol.

He spent most of the time travelling trying not to dwell on Sasuke's words. They hit a little too close to home for his liking. Perhaps he was still angry that he had been spurned all those years ago and it blinded him from seeing anything regarding Sakura clearly. But he was sure that what was between himself and Sakura wasn't like Ino and Sasuke. They were completely different on so many levels that he didn't care to compare and contrast their similarities and differences.

When they arrived to Suna, they were greeted by a majestic fanfare and a large welcoming crowd. Apparently everyone wanted to see the man whose swift blade ended the Six Year War.

Waving to the people as the roofless carriage pulled them to the Wind King's castle, Neji had to admit that after almost two months of doing this, he was getting a little irritated by the attention. Nevertheless, he was basking the in warm midday sun as it already began to toast his now pasty skin back to its former deep tan.

Passing the castle gates, Naruto and Neji neared the entrance of the castle.

"Oi, Neji, look who I see!" Naruto shielded his eyes from the sun. "It's Gaara!"

It was his old comrade, no doubt. Sporting a longer mane of red hair and a considerably less menacing expression, Gaara awaited them at the entrance along with another attendant.

"Welcome, King Uzumaki, Neji," the redhead nodded at the exuberant blonde and, with a small smile, the raven-haired man. "Kent is here to take King Uzumaki immediately to His Majesty's study. Urgent business apparently."

Heaving a tortuous sigh, Naruto knew he would be dealing with more post-war bureaucracy once again and grudgingly allowed himself to be taken away.

"Gaara," Neji greeted back, nodding, "You look uncharacteristically cheerful."

The tall jade eyed man shot the Hyuuga a crooked smile. "Today is a good day. My brother has fully recovered."

"He was sick?" Neji remembered Kankuro being fit as a horse the last time he saw the puppet-master.

"Ever since the war ended. Latent poison from some obscure Water creature."

"I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"Don't be. He's fine now." Gaara ruffled through his unruly crimson locks casually. "You'll see him at the ball tonight."

Neji frowned. "Ah, even here?" He attended so many dances and balls within the month that he was sure he knew every single folk dance and country step in existence.

"Yes, even here," Neji could swear there was a hint of malicious glee in the general's voice. "Don't worry. Here in Suna, we party a little differently."

.

.

Since it was unseasonably warm, Neji decided against wearing the stifling eveningwear of the Fire Kingdom opted to wear a classy desert ensemble that Kent supplied. Wearing a loose belted burgundy tunic that allowed his chest at seen at full view, comfortable pair of black harem pants and sturdy sandals, Neji let his hair down in order to capitalize on the lax decorum of this sultry nation. Satisfied that he looked presentable, he made his way to the ballroom.

The atmosphere was both comforting and intimate, with the floor-to-ceilings windows open to allow the cool summer breeze inside the massive hall. Guests were slowly being ushered in, as people tried their best to steal glances at the Hyuuga without staring outright. With Naruto already talking animatedly with the Wind King, Neji caught sight of Kankuro being lead to a table by Gaara. The redhead was hovering close to his brother as he shakily made his way to his seat. It seems that, though he looked completely healthy, his muscles were still weak from his poisoning.

"Kankuro," Neji greeted the famed weapon puppeteer. "I only just heard of what happened to you. Please accept my apologies. Had I known—"

"Aww, cut it out Hyuuga!" Kankuro waved off the silver-eyed man good-naturedly. "I'm alive and breathing aren't I? Besides, I hear you've been making quite the ruckus as the war hero! Now, I have to admit, I thought I was going to be a goner when our doctors couldn't find out what was wrong with me, but that's history thanks to—oh, you should know her!" Kankuro paused to look around, craning his head towards the dining hall entrance. "Ah—there! That's who you should thank!"

Neji's jaw almost dropped.

It was Sakura, and she looked absolutely breathtaking. She was wearing the traditional Suna garb, consisting of a white caftan with detailed embroidery and nipped in the waist, showcasing her sleek yet sensual figure. Her hair, streaked with tendrils of sun-bleached hair, was tied in a lazy knot to the side of her head, letting the silky strands of roseate hair grace her neck and décolletage. His eyes hovered around her chest and he caught a glimpse of the locket.

He was confused. Even...even after what he did, she still kept it on? Had she never taken it off since that fateful day?

The dream-like haze that Neji was swept by instantly shattered when he saw Gaara approach her.

The predatory look in Gaara's eyes was plain for all to see. He murmured something to her and bowed. She blushed and accepted his hand.

_What the hell is going on?_

All Neji could feel at this point was the feeling of fiery rage seeking to unleash itself.

.

.

.

When Sakura entered the grand ball room, she instantly caught Neji's silvery gaze.

Had it really been a whole month since she had last laid eyes on him? The mere sight of him with his long, beautiful hair down was enough to make her knees weak. But she steeled herself. If he was so content on making such a huge display that he was over her last time, why couldn't she?

Making her way to the down the flight of stairs, she was greeted by her companion for the evening, Gaara. When he caught sight of her, his lips twisted into a sinister grin.

"You look...absolutely stunning, Dr. Haruno," he said slyly, bowing as he offered her his hand. "Every man will be envious me of this evening."

"Thank Temari, she was the one who dressed me up," Sakura replied, blushing at the attention the redhead was giving her. He was never good at controlling the aura that radiated from his being, and right now she could definitely feel repressed lust. But knowing how chivalrous the sand-master was, she trusted that he would never act on it.

Accepting his hand, Sakura suddenly didn't feel as confident as she did when agreeing to this insane plan. As they walked arm-in-arm through the hall, she knew that they were the object of the entire crowd's attention. It was surprising to see Gaara attend any type of social event, and it was even more surprising to see him with a date, above all else. This was insane! Sakura's breathing started to become shallow. Her heart began to beat wildly, threatening to thump out of her ribcage. In truth, all she wanted was a chance to speak with Neji, just for her own sanity! How was she to accomplish this by making him jealous—especially if it involved the famed Gaara of the Desert?

She felt Gaara squeeze her arm. "Don't worry, Sakura," he quietly reassured her. "I know what makes the Hyuuga tick. Everything will go to plan. Just follow my lead."

Swallowing thickly, she nodded.

The first dance was to take place now. The revellers lined up, with the men taking one side and their female counterparts on the other. The music began to flow from the skilled hands and mouths of the musicians, filling the hall with a slow, melodious tune. The lights dimmed to leave the couples to dance intimately.

The dancing couples embraced one another, following the rhythmic tones of the music. Gaara was no exception. Holding his partner with deft gracefulness, she felt his hand slide to the small of her back and he pulled her towards his strong frame, his chin resting near the top of her head. All Sakura could do was follow her friend's lead, though she dreaded what he planned to do.

The mischievous redhead leaned into Sakura, brushing his lips against her ear and nuzzling his face into her hair.

She instantly seized up as an unexpected wave of arousal. What was he doing?

"Hmm..." he breathed in her scent, enjoying every last whiff, "Sakura...are you sure that you want to be with that Hyuuga?" His fingers stroked her back, sending a wave of electricity up her spine and spreading throughout her body. She thought the man was unlearned in the matters of women; he was now proving her wrong with his ministrations.

Hot, lustful breath kissed her neck. "Let's leave here. You know that I can make you feel good. In a lot of ways. Ways that he never dared to."

What was he saying? The ultimate purpose of this charade was to rile Neji up and get back at him. But from the way he was holding her, Sakura felt like Gaara wanted more than that. "B-but," she stuttered, rendered almost speechless by the strange bodily reactions Gaara was awakening, "what—what about Neji...?"

A guttural growl emanated from his chest. "Forget him," he said huskily. He pulled her away from him so he could look her in the eye. "I want you, Sakura." He was dead serious.

Her hand shot up to her locket. The intensity of Gaara's eyes captivated her, burning with unbridled desire.

"W...what?"

The lights had suddenly brightened again. Luckily, Gaara was swift and brought her even farther from him and bowed to her, as did the other male partners to their counterparts. Applause filled the hall and then the people began to mingle freely.

"How was that for a performance?" Gaara smirked, clearly impressed with himself.

Sakura gawked at the tall redhead. Performance? He really had her going there. But she couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't acting at all.

"And it looked like it worked. Guess who's coming this way? Prepare yourself."

Who was he talking about? Oh God, he didn't mean—?

"Gaara, good evening," she heard Neji's voice from behind her. Spinning around, she found herself in front of a very pissed off ANBU captain. His eyes were frosty, his jaw was firmly clenched. "May I have the next dance, Dr. Haruno?" His even tone betrayed the flurry of suppressed emotion that flitted across his features.

"No! I mean—yes, you may," she said, flustered.

Nodding wordlessly, he turned his heel and left.

"Gaara," Sakura said after a very long, gaping pause, "did I just agree to dance with Neji?" She looked up at him, horrified.

"Yes, I dare say you did," snickered Gaara. "But don't fret. He won't do anything to you that isn't according to plan."

Somehow, Gaara attempt to calm the cherry-haired woman didn't sit well with her.

A small bell was rung. "You hear that? The next dance is about to start! Good luck!" and he shoved her into the crowd.

She was still so taken back by Neji's abrupt offer that she didn't realize that the musicians cued the first notes of the next dance. The crowd dispersed as the attendees paired up with their next dancing partners. Before she knew it, she was standing across from Neji. And everyone else in the room was lost to her except him. His form, his aura, his presence demanded that kind of undiluted attention.

When the violins began to play, Neji bowed and she curtsied. They met each other halfway and he took her hand, resting the other on the side of her waist and began to lead.

She had instinctively lowered her head, daring not to look at him. Such close proximity to the man who she both yearned for most ardently and yet knew that she could never be with was too much. A memory of a time long past, of when he used to hold her and whisper sweet nothings in ear, flashed into her mind and made Sakura almost whimper in grief.

And yet, she could not show him her feelings. She would not allow him another opportunity to exploit and shun her with cruelty. Indifference was the card she had to play.

"Look at me," he commanded, his voice edged with simmering ferocity.

She looked straight into his silver eyes with conviction. If he was taken aback by her brazen display of will, he did not show it.

"What is Gaara to you?" he queried. He was so intent on her that it was as if he was attempting to peer into her very soul.

She lifted her chin in belligerence. "That's none of your business." After all these years, all those agonizing moments, this was the way they were going to speak to each other—with such harsh, clipped sentences? But she didn't care. She would not be cowed.

Neji was unyielding. "Yes, it _is_ my business. If you truly are attached to him—"

"Which I am not," she cut in.

"The hell you aren't," he growled back.

"I'm sure Reya Kent wouldn't appreciate _her lover_ being concerned with my personal affairs," she shot back. She knew that nothing probably happened between them, but she didn't care.

That undid the carefully wound Hyuuga. His eyes blazed with fury. "You are coming with me." He stopped their dance and grabbed her wrist roughly, breaking them out the waltz much to the surprise of the dancers and surrounding spectators. Leading her down the castle hallways, he threw open the doors of a dark unoccupied room, shoved her inside and shut the doors behind him.

"What do you want Neji?" Sakura asked icily, barely containing her frustration. She felt her face burn and her hands shake.

"I want answers," he replied curtly. He strode towards her, closing the gap between them and cornered her, pinning his arm against the wall so she could have no avenue of escape. He was so close to her that she could feel his breath on her.

"I will ask you once more. What is Gaara to you?"

She was defiant. "He is my friend."

"Hmph! Friends," he sneered, "with _benefits_, then?"

She was stunned. When had he become so venomous?

"But I wonder," he continued in a jeering tone, "if he knows about that locket around your neck? What it means?" His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, "What would he do if he saw my picture in there? He should know that he's bedding a heartless, two-timing chit."

"How dare you Neji Hyuuga? How _dare_ you?" She was so offended and hurt that she could no longer hold herself back. "Gaara is a gentleman and I respect him. He _never_ touched me like that. He never so much as _kissed_ me!" Her voice rose angrily as words that she had been ruminating on for so long flooded out of her mouth. "I never kissed anyone but you! I kept this locket to show my devotion to you! To show that the only man I would ever be with is you!" She voice cracked when she said, "To show that I still loved you!"

"Then _why_!" Neji roared. "Why did you leave me?" His voice was angry, hurt and rife with heartache.

"Because I didn't want to be a burden on you!" she cried. "When Mama and Sanna died, you were about to be deployed to your first battle! I couldn't handle it! I knew what your expectations for a spouse were. I knew that you wouldn't want to be with someone who was so easily undone by something that, in your eyes, is trivial!" She felt tears falling freely from her eyes. "That's why I broke up with you! So I wouldn't drag you down!"

He moved back slightly, training his now unreadable eyes steadily upon her. "Are you telling me that it wasn't because of your family's disapproval?"

"My family?" Sakura repeated incredulously. "Of course not! My family would like nothing better than a blood relation to the Queen in their midst!"

Neji was left speechless.

His silence did nothing but anger Sakura. She took this opportunity to shove him off her. "Hmph! So that's what you think—that I would forsake you that easily? That I would forget all the time we spent together? All of the promises we made to each other? Is that how lowly you think of me?" She yanked off the locket and threw it unceremoniously at him. "You are not the Neji I feel in love with! Go to hell, you unfeeling bastard. I'm done with you." And she left, sparing him not even a glance.

Just like what Sasuke did to Ino, Neji had driven Sakura past the point of no return.

He stared at the locket at his feet, shocked.

But unlike Sasuke, Neji wasn't sure that he could win her back.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: Feedback is most ardently welcome!


	7. VII: Impulse

**Persuasion**

_Synopsis:_ _His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

VII: Impulse

.

.

.

Sakura splashed cold water on her face. She instantly regretted it since her makeup would now be ruined, so she took a towel off the railing and wiped her face clean.

Daring to look at her reflection, she was relieved that she didn't look half as bad as she expected. Her skin was still golden and slightly freckled. Her eyes, on the other hand, were puffy and bloodshot.

She knew that she should probably feel devastated right now. All hope of ever reconciling with Neji, her first true love, evaporated the moment she threw the locket back at him. She half wanted to see his expression, but she didn't care anymore. There was a sickly, hollow feeling in the center of her chest. It didn't pierce or throb, but it was uncomfortable. Aching almost, but not quite.

Perhaps this was a sign that what she and Neji had wasn't really love. If they truly loved one another, wouldn't it have been easy to reconcile just now? Shouldn't have their hearts been quick to forgive one another in the face of misunderstandings set straight? Yet, when the truth was laid bare and their explanations heard, it only drove them apart.

Still, this aching.

Sakura rubbed her sternum. It was probably a muscle spasm.

A knock on the door.

Who could it be?

"Sakura," Gaara's voice penetrated through the door. "Let me in."

She was relieved. "Ever hear of 'no boys in the girls' room'?"

"To hell with that. Open the door."

She knew that if she didn't open it, he'd break it down, so she complied.

"By the looks of it, you didn't cry tears of happiness, did you?" Gaara's mouth curled into a thin, angry line and his hands clenched into fists. Sakura wasn't sure if he was upset at her or for her.

"No. Seems like the plan was a failure. Sorry Gaara," her lip quivered unintentionally.

Whatever wrath Gaara was nursing instantly softened when he saw that. He was so quick about it that Sakura didn't even see him move; the next thing she knew she was within his warm embrace. She felt him softly kiss the top of her head and he soothingly rocked her. "You shouldn't be apologizing. I'm the one who should be sorry. It was my idea after all." He stroked her hair. "Masterminds take the blame, didn't you know?"

Sakura said nothing. She just wanted to stay in his arms. It felt so good. So right. She closed her eyes and breathed him in deeply as she wrapped her arms around his lean waist, her hands resting near his broad shoulders. In response, Gaara pulled her closer to him. He smelled wonderfully, like dewy air before sunrise—fresh yet deeply rich.

Lost in the feeling that was Gaara, Sakura let her hands roam, feeling the taut muscles of his back, tracing the curve of his spine, wondering how his skin would feel like. As if her body had a mind of its own, her lips grazed the bare skin of his chest revealed by his loose robes. Sakura then kissed the bare patch of skin, her tongue accidentally getting a taste of him as well.

Powerful hands suddenly gripped her backside, lifting her off her feet. Sakura instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and Gaara pinned her to the wall, his warm breath on her neck and ear.

"Sakura," he breathed huskily, his hands still cupping her buttocks, "are you sure?"

Sakura opened her eyes and held his face with both her hands. God, she didn't think it was possible to look this handsome up close, but Gaara certainly did. Under her hands she could feel the light graze of stubble. Looking into his eyes, she could see the conflicting storm of passion and concern reflecting back at her. He wanted her, but he didn't want to hurt her. Or even worse, use her.

"I'm never been so sure," she said softly and kissed him.

They fit perfectly together. At first it was soft and curious, but Gaara took over and deepened the kiss. He pried her lips open with his tongue and entered her willing mouth. She held onto his head and wrapped her legs tighter around him, as if letting go would mean letting the pleasure she was experiencing go along with it. Gaara responded to Sakura's unfurling passion by sneaking his hand into her caftan and—she didn't know how he did it—undid her bra with a small flick before proceeding to squeeze her breast in slow, deliberate manner. Sakura let out a surprised yelp, and Gaara disengaged from their kiss to chuckle, but continued his ministrations. She craned her neck back and enjoyed the mounting arousal Gaara was awakening.

God this man knew how to hold a woman.

Hot kisses burned a trail from her collarbone to neck to ear, with Sakura running her fingers through his fiery red hair. "My God, how come you are so good at this?" she moaned.

Gaara nibbled at her ear and replied smoothly, "I've been playing this moment in my mind since I first saw you."

All of a sudden he let her down from the wall. But he kept her caged around his body. Sensing her confusion, he smiled. "This isn't the best place for what I'm planning."

Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, a bathroom isn't really ideal is it?"

Gaara shook his head. "That's not what I meant. Being in a bathroom wouldn't stop me. But all the guests might hear you." When Sakura raised her eyebrow cynically, Gaara added with a roguish smile, "I'm _that_ good, you know."

Sakura stared at Gaara, unsure whether to laugh at his directness or blush horribly. She decided to turn away and started to make herself decent again. "So, uh, what now?"

The redhead shrugged. "I have something that I need to take care of so I'm going to be here for a little bit long. Wait for me at my place?"

"Of course," she answered. "But will you be long?"

"No," he replied. He opened the bathroom door and looked both ways. "Coast is clear. Off you go."

"I should be saying that to you," Sakura said as she tapped the women's symbol on the door.

All Gaara did was smile and wink suggestively before he turned his heel and walking down the corridor.

Sakura watched keenly him as he strutted down the hallway with this confident gait. His hair was a mess because of her.

And her lips still tingled because of him.

.

.

.

Gaara watched Neji and Sakura start dancing together with a wry smirk. He sloshed the wine in his glass nonchalantly and took a sip. He supposed he should be happy, now that he did such a selfless thing for Sakura. Neji fell for his trap perfectly and he knew that the Hyuuga would probably try to woo the pink-haired doctor back. He could imagine their conversation now. He'd be asking her if she was serious with Gaara. She would reply offhandedly that she wasn't really. And then he'd use some of that charm that he picked up to reel her back in.

His gaze caught sight of her roseate locks twirling in the air. The memory of her scent burned his chest and he had to bite his lip down to calm himself. Needless to say, Sakura was one hell of a woman.

Gaara's concern was piqued when he saw them stop dancing and witnessed Neji coarsely grab her arm and lead Sakura out of the ballroom. Downing the last of his wine, Gaara was about to rush after them, but he hesitated. What if he was going to apologize to her? Make up with her?

Or...

He quickly dismissed that idea; from the look on Neji's face, he knew that something was going to go down. And not the fun kind. Quietly, he went down another corridor and followed them via an alternate route.

He walked past guests who were still making their way back to the ballroom. He didn't want to seem like he was flustered, so he walked at a brisk but unhurried pace. He hoped that Sakura told Neji by now that it was just all an act between them, but another deeper part of Gaara was worried that the Byakugan master saw through his charade and picked up his sincere desire for Sakura. He wasn't ashamed of his feelings, but he would hate himself if Sakura suffered further heartbreak because of him.

Turning the corner, he was a few steps away from the room they were inside. He could hear Neji shouting, followed by Sakura's shaking voice. There was a pause, and then she was speaking again, but Gaara couldn't make out what she was saying. He didn't want to know—it was none of his business—but he couldn't stand hearing her suffer. Suddenly the door flew opened and Gaara sidled to the wall, hiding himself from view. To his relief, she ran past him without seeing him. But to his anger, she was clearly sobbing.

Gaara was torn between walking into the room and beating the living shit out of Neji or checking on Sakura's wellbeing. The latter won.

Following her to one of the private restrooms, he waited until the crying subsided before demanding entry. He didn't know what he could do to make Sakura feel any better if she did let him in. For a moment, he hoped that she was so indisposed that she would curse him away.

But she didn't. And God, what happened after that...

He didn't regret what happened one bit. He enjoyed it just as much as she did. At first he was worried that her highly emotional state of mind might've been a problem, but Sakura wasn't like other women. She was a successful medic who kept her wits about her in any kind of duress. But he made sure, and she was willing. Well, from the hickeys that were developing on his neck, more than willing—but he wouldn't go all the way with her. A little snogging was all fun and good, refreshing even, but going all the way? Sakura was special. If he was going to have the honour to share one of the most important events in a woman's life with her, he would do it properly.

But there was a problem. And no matter how much electrifying chemistry he and Sakura shared, Gaara knew that she still had feelings for the Hyuuga bastard. He knew that he could take advantage of the Hyuuga's tactlessness and have Sakura for himself—but that wasn't how Gaara wanted things. He was selfish. He didn't just want Sakura's affection or admiration; he wanted her heart, her soul—he wanted it all.

And with this kind of game, it was all or nothing. And she was definitely worth it.

Before him was the room that Neji and Sakura previously occupied. He could sense Neji's chakra still inside. Straightening his robes, Gaara squared his shoulders and walked into the room. He expected to see Neji walking out and readied to throw him back into the room to beat the living shit out of him, but what he saw when he entered the room left Gaara, for the first time, unsure of what to do.

He was on his knees, head hung, shoulders slumped and hair mussed. Gaara couldn't discern the expression on the ANBU captain's face as hair obscured his view. In his slackened grip was Sakura's locket. The locket that Neji had given Sakura. The locket that represented her devotion to the bastard. The whole scene made Gaara a little comfortable.

"I find myself wondering how you could have possibly ruined this perfect plan of mine. But you clearly did," Gaara growled. Seeing the Hyuuga in such a pathetic state did nothing to inspire Gaara's compassion.

"So it was all just an act then?" Neji whispered.

"Yes," Gaara lied. Then he paused before demanding, "What the hell did you say to her?"

Neji grinned despite himself. "I don't... really remember."

A red eyebrow shot up. "You don't remember?"

"I don't _want_ to remember."

"You do realize that if you don't fix this, you'll lose her?"

The raven-haired man didn't bother to look up. "I know," he replied flatly.

That set Gaara off. He closed the gap between them in seconds and grabbed the Hyuuga by his shirt. "'I know'? '_I know'_? Is that all you have to say?" Gaara seethed with unspeakable rage. "That woman waited for you for six goddamn years. _Six years_. She loved you for that long and more. Even when you hurt her she still wore her heart on her sleeve for you. And what do you do? You fuck it up, that's what you do."

"It's done, Gaara." Neji couldn't even bring himself to look Gaara in the eye. He let his head loll from one side to another, not caring whether he got hit, thrown or trampled. Pathetic.

An angry, self-deprecating laugh escaped Gaara's lips as he shook his head. And then he made Neji look at him in the eye. "Look at me you dumb shit. I said _look at me_. If I knew this was the kind of man you'd become during the war I would've let those Water bastards rip you apart when they had the chance. Hero my ass!" He threw Neji to the floor, who remained sprawled and listless.

No amount of roughing up or personal attacks would work. Gaara knew there was only one way to snap him out of it.

"You know, I just had the pleasure of consoling poor Sakura. And when I say consoling I mean I got to taste those luscious lips of hers," Gaara hissed maliciously. Neji's body stiffened, as if an electric current ran through him. Perfect, he was taking the bait, so the redhead continued cruelly, "I didn't know it was possible, but she tastes _much _better than she looks. I can't imagine how daft you are, willing to give up kissing those soft lips or cupping that wonderful backside. Oh yes, that firm, perky, supple ass. I mean, I didn't have the chance to go all the way with her tonight. But you can be sure with you out of the picture that I will. She'll make one _hell_ of a ride."

Gaara crossed his arms and waited to see the desired effect.

Only Neji didn't just take the bait. He completely devoured it.

The speed at which Neji pinned Gaara to the opposite wall was astounding. The Byakugan master held down Gaara by the chakra point of his shoulder and held two deadly fingers up near his neck menacingly.

"And here I thought you had no fight left in you," Gaara drawled.

"If you lay another hand on Sakura I'll kill you," Neji threatened with frosty rage.

Gaara scoffed. "I can't help it if Sakura wants to change gears, understand? I wouldn't blame her for wanting me after holding out six years for a wuss who won't give her a good fucking."

Like a whip Neji shut down the chakra channel supplying Gaara's right arm.

"Ow!" Gaara mock-winced. "What—it offends you to hear something so...improper? You know what offends _me_? A cowardly man who hurts the so called love of his life because of his goddamn pride and then has the gall to act like a hero."

Neji's jaw clenched and his pale eyes blazed. Good, Gaara hit a nerve.

Gaara shoved Neji off with his functioning arm and spat on the ground before turning his heel to leave.

Neji watched the sand master walk away with nothing but contempt. He clenched his fists. And he felt something.

Looking down, it was the locket.

Neji wouldn't give Sakura back this locket. He'd give her something that would trump this little trinket.

But first he had work to do.

And he'd require the services of a certain bandaged blacksmith.

.

.

.

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back again! Sorry for the lack of updates...sometimes you gotta let the creative juices take a break eh? Anyways, I really like this chapter. Sakura makes out with Gaara (score), Gaara talks a lot of smack to Neji (oh yeah, rivalry time) and now Neji's jealous rage kicks in (A mad Hyuuga—oo la la). Who will win Sakura over? Can't wait to see how this plays out!

Till next time,

-Arwitzle

p.s. I wrote this a little quickly...actually less than a few hours, but don't worry, I will edit out any errors soon. Enjoy anyway!


	8. VIII: The Past: First Glance

**Persuasion.**

_Synopsis: His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

VIII: The Past—First Glance.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A knot of tension developed in the pit of Sakura's stomach as she made her way down the hall. She was so nervous that she doubted that she came to the right classroom.

"Saaaaaakura!" A familiar voice rang from around the corner. She turned to see a flop of dark hair and a massive smile.

"Oh, Kiba!" she sighed in relief. "You're in this class too?"

"Yup, yup!" he nodded, his shaggy hair flopping as he did so. "I heard that we're supposed to be paired with medics for this course."

"Hn. I hope that we get to choose though," Sakura muttered with her characteristic pragmatism. In this course she would be the main medic of a garrison of five officers. It was needless to say that if Kiba could choose, he'd be part of her team.

"Let's go inside, shall we?" Kiba, being a foot taller than her, easily reached over her and pushed the door open. She sighed, as her dawdling came to a swift end.

The class was already brimming with eager students. Medics and fighters who already knew each other paired off and sat with one another. It was quarter-to and the professor was nowhere to be seen.

Sakura and Kiba found Tenten sitting with Karin, one of Sakura's classmates, and sat with them. They began to speculate what kind of professor they'd have, since the syllabus left that part blank. In the midst of their talking, the class went silent.

Sauntering into the lecture hall were the two most talented fighters in Konoha history: Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyuuga. They carried with them an aura that instinctively made others regard them with awe, as if their genius transcended what mere mortals could accomplish. Kiba, being the ever positive and careless one of the group, simply shrugged his shoulders and laughed under his breath at general reaction of his fellow classmates. Tenten visibly stiffened when she caught sight of her former training partner, while Karin sneakily stole glances of Sasuke.

Sakura, on the other hand, could not care less.

As Neji walked up the stairs, his gaze momentarily caught Sakura's. He seemed to regard her with curiosity, but just as quickly as he looked at her, he disengaged and he continued up the stairs to the top desks.

"Sakura?" Karin's strong voice shook her. "What's going on? Your face is red."

Sakura suddenly felt heat blossoming on her face. She took her notebook and began to fan at her neck. She couldn't tell Ino that the intensity of his gaze took her breath away. Quite literally, since she completely forgot to breathe.

"No, no," she said dismissively with a slight wheeze that didn't help her case. "I'm fine, really! Just, um, really nervous is all."

As if on cue, the professor decided to show up right then. Sakura couldn't be more grateful for the timing.

Sporting a wild halo of silver hair secured by bandages that covered his left eye, a three-piece flannel suit, and smart loafers, he looked like a debonair rakehell and nothing like an academic. He clearly had no regard for the no-smoking rule from the way he casually puffed on his curved mahogany pipe, nor did he care about how his tattoos or bandages would be perceived. Yet for all of his candid negligence of proper society, his suit was incredibly crisp and well-tailored. Even his blazer had a small silk handkerchief folded neatly in the breast pocket.

He didn't even bother with an introduction, but everyone knew immediately who he was. Professor Kakashi, also known as the Dashing Scarecrow.

"Right, so first things first .The way this class is structured is simple. I'm going to be in charge of the fighters and Professor Tsunade will be training the medics. After every field exercise the officers will go straight to their designated infirmary and will be assessed by their medic partners. There are five officers for every medic. The groups have already been assigned so there's no point in trying to switch, understood?" His tone and manner was so nonchalant that it left no room for arguing.

He took a puff of his pipe and looked at the class with this one eye, as if daring them to speak up. When no one did, he nodded in satisfaction and turned to the chalk board. He lowered the projection screen and turned on the projector. Everyone held their breath, both eager and afraid to see the overhead. Kakashi slapped in on with finality.

There was a moment of absolute silence. People were staring at the board, their eyes scanning the wall for their name. Some cheered. Others held neutral expressions. Some were slightly miffed. But when Sakura her group she didn't know what to think.

"What's the matter Sakura?" Kiba couldn't help but get excited. "Who'd you get?"

Sakura gulped. Her eyes were still glued to the overhead and her mouth ajar.

Tenten laughed at her friend. "Oh, come on! It' can't be that bad!" She scanned the overhead for Sakura's name and looked at her group. "Let's see. Kiba—that's good. Dario—not a terrible, but a little crude if you ask me. Braddock—OK. Lee—oh he's a keen one, but you'll like him. And..." Tenten's voice failed. She immediately grasped her shoulder in consolation. "Good Lord, you have Neji Hyuuga in your group."

It was common knowledge that Neji and Sasuke were not only ranked as the greatest officers ever to set foot into Konoha Academy, but both were also notorious for being the most haughty, disagreeable and judgemental pricks on the plant. Especially Neji. Sakura tried to regain her composure and shrug off the pitying looks Karin, Tenten and even Kiba were giving her. "Surely he's not _that_ bad." She glanced at Tenten. "...Right?" She then turned her head slightly towards the top desks and side-glanced at Neji, who impossibly looked both intense and dispassionate at the same time.

Tenten didn't trust herself with Neji being in such close proximity to them. "I'll explain during lunch."

.

.

.

"Hey, it's not that bad," Kiba said as they were making their way to the Break Hall. "You're not the only one who got stuck with a social invalid. Karin here got Sasuke."

"Don't rub it in your two," Karin said darkly. She had been eerily silent ever since the pairs were announced. _Poor girl,_ Sakura thought, _she must be really depressed to be this quiet._

"Sorry Kiba. Not the same." Tenten countered simply. "Sasuke is known to be the more agreeable one of the two. And at least he likes girls. Neji, on the other hand, is a famous chauvinistic git. Trust me, I have first-hand experience."

"You _must_ be exaggerating," Kiba frowned cynically.

"Sasuke? Agreeable? I heard he's a ruthless womanizer," Karin countered, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"It's true," Tenten nodded her head vigorously. "At least Sasuke knows how to fake being nice to women. Neji once said that women aren't fit to even clean the bottom of his shoes—that's how incompetent and wilful we are, he says."

Kiba was visibly appalled. "Good Lord, did he really say that?" He turned to Sakura and gave her a look of both pity and sympathy. "I think this is when I tell you that you're royally...um...fucked?"

"That's an apt way to put it," Sakura replied tersely. "Now you lot are supposed to tell me how to survive the next five months."

"It won't be that bad if you just ignore him," said Tenten. "Don't respond to any of his provocations. And I mean any. He's...too cerebral to understand how women really think. He also hates feeling like he doesn't know everything. Use that to your advantage."

"And never make eye contact. I heard that with one glance he can _see into your soul_," Kiba wiggled his fingers and mimed a ghost.

"Why aren't you worried Kiba? You're going to have to train with him and go on missions," Sakura pointed out.

"Ah well," Kiba raked his hair awkwardly, "Not too worried about that am I? Call it male officer camaraderie or whatever." He gave a sorry look in Tenten's direction. "Sorry sweetheart, just the way it is. I'll be fine."

"Sexist pigs," she spat.

Sakura laughed with everyone as they went to go sit down at their table, but her mirth died when she saw the grim look on Tenten's face.

"That's not really true...is it?" Sakura asked her when Karin and Kiba went off to the canteen. "About that women and shoes business."

Tenten's lips thinned. "Came straight from his mouth after we finished our training sessions last semester. I'll never forget it." She squirmed her shoulders. "I...I think I'm more humiliated than angry. I can't believe that I had feelings for him. To think I was so excited to be paired with him for our training course...!" She paused, her cheeks reddening. "I just...I just don't want you to get hurt is all."

At that Sakura smiled genuinely at her friend and placed a soothing hand over hers. "Don't worry Tenten. I'm sorry about what happened. I'm sorry that your feelings were hurt...But I don't like him one bit. I never cared much for him before, but hearing this makes me actively dislike the prick." Sakura's smile widened and she winked. "Maybe I'll 'accidently' pour lye on his crotch. How about that?"

Tenten laughed heartily. "Just make sure he doesn't kill you with that Byakugan before you do."

.

.

The afternoon sun shone brightly through the linens of her infirmary tent. Sakura watched the metal of her utensils glare with sunlight and sighed. Today was assessment day, and Sakura successfully tested everyone in her group. Except for Neji. Where in blazes did he go? She poked her head outside and saw the other fighters returning from their field mission with Kakashi, all of them sporting small cuts and injuries. Medics and fighters were all talking loudly, laughing, having a good time as the last of the assessments took place.

"Are you done dawdling?"

Sakura almost yelped when she heard his voice behind her.

"Neij?" Sakura gasped. "How did you…" She gulped, steadied herself and then tried to muster indignant outrage. "Where were you? I was just about to leave. You're late..."

Her voice trailed when she saw his expression. His face was a mask of neutrality save for a single eyebrow being raised, but that one motion seemed to say: _'I'm a Hyuuga, a Byakugan master and a fighting genius. I need not explain myself to the likes of you.'_

Sakura bit her bottom lip. She had to be professional.

"Please sit on the assessment table," she muttered as politely as she could muster. When he ambled past her, Sakura was taken back a bit. She didn't expect him to be as tall as he was. Standing at well over six feet, Neji was both tall and muscular. Clad in his field officer uniform, which consisted of black body-skimming thermal wear, low-slung cargo pants and a utility vest, he certainly cut an impressive figure, from his broad shoulders to his narrow hips to his limber, lean legs.

_Goodness gracious, he's a hotter than an erupting volcano. _

Wait.

Did she just admit to herself that Neji was attractive?

She couldn't believe that her mind was thinking that! No! No! NO!

Sakura's face reddened and she commanded herself to remove her gaze from his body and to keep her eyesight firmly on his face. _Good Lord, he must _know _that I've been ogling him like he's some prize cut of meat!_

If she could slap herself right now she would!

If Neji noticed any Sakura's indiscretions, he made no show of it and sat on the table. Sighing in relief, she immediately went to work, completing functional tests on all his limbs to ensure he didn't injure any ligaments or tendons. When Sakura went to inspect his legs, she couldn't help but gasp. His legs were peppered with small, superficial lacerations. He probably sustained these cuts from Kakashi's notorious shuriken. Sakura wanted to ask him if they hurt him, but when she saw the way he glared at her when she opened her mouth, she dared not. He didn't look like he was in any pain anyway, so she cut around the torn fabric, dressed the cuts and wrapped them with linen bandages. She turned away from him briefly to fill in her assessment sheet, and when she turned back, the table was empty.

Sakura stood, gaping at the unoccupied table.

_What the hell just happened?_

.

.

.

No matter what, she would not tell anyone about what happened during the assessment. Tenten and Karin mercilessly queried her, but she wouldn't budge. What if she accidentally told them how she stared at his backside for five minutes? Admittedly, his backside was as fine as they came, but she couldn't tell them that! Why was she even thinking of his backside? Sakura knew that there was something seriously, unnaturally wrong with her. That was the only explanation. How could she ever think _Neji Hyuuga_ attractive?

_The man is as pleasant as petting a prickly porcupine._

So Sakura spent the next few weeks trying to stay out of Neji's way. She did her best to never look directly at him, and when she addressed him she was sure to look at his eyes for one second before looking away and finding that her tools needed sanitizing or polishing. Kiba noticed her efforts and always stayed behind during Neji's assessments to keep her company. For that, she was grateful; having a friend in while in the presence of the intimidating Hyuuga helped Sakura stay focused on her medic tasks. If Neji minded Kiba's presence, he never voiced it, preferring to disappear as soon as she finished her checklist.

When Kiba informed her of a major mission the officers would be undertaking for an entire week, Sakura was more than thrilled.

_Finally. _She was looking forward to a week of no stress, no fatigue, no butterflies in her stomach and certainly no Hyuuga, who caused her all these problems.

With all her free time, Sakura kept herself in the Main Ward of the Infirmary, picking up shifts for medics who went on much needed vacations before the officers would be due back.

It was a slow day at the Infirmary, so all of the employees clocked out early. Sakura offered to stay behind and file patient reports, as she noticed that Tsunade neglectfully let them pile up. Sakura was so immersed in her work that when she casually glanced up at the clock, she was shocked to see that it was almost five o'clock.

_Oh Lord. Mama will throttle me if I don't leave now!_ Hastily, Sakura sped up filing one of the last reports. And then stopped; someone was standing at the doorway.

Sakura's mouth dropped.

In his imperious field mission uniform, Neji Hyuuga was a truly intimidating sight to see. "Where is Director Tsunade?" his icy, crisp voice cut through the silence and made the small hairs on her back stand on end. What was he doing here? Were the officers already back? But there's supposed to be two more days left in their mission. She dared not question him though. She could barely look at him. Then she remembered Tenten, so she managed to look up at him and hold eye contact. It was the most she could manage.

She cleared her throat primly. Sakura finished filing her last patient report and began to pack up her things. "She left early today." Trying her best to casually ignore him, she checked to if her watch was synched with the Main Ward one and grabbed her coat and suitcase.

Neji did not budge. "That cannot be right. I need to see her _now_."

At that, Sakura smiled involuntarily.

"Did I say something to amuse you?" she could feel his frosty silver eyes burned into her as she starting dimming the lights.

She wasn't sure if she should respond, but she was tired of his constant judgment. _What's so amusing? Maybe it's that you think that just because you planned something that it can't not happen. That you feel entitled to be serviced even though there is only ten minutes to five_. "No."

"Then where has the Director gone to?" he clipped.

"I don't know. It's not my job to keep track of her whereabouts outside of this vicinity." She bit her tongue after that.

The silence that succeeded her blunder was more uncomfortable that having a spider crawl down your neck at night.

Sakura stood near the doorway and kept her eyes glued to her feet. "If you don't mind, I would like to go now."

"I see. Very well." And with, he made a quick, sharp bow and began to walk away, his mud-slicked commando boots clicking down the hallway. Exhaling deeply, Sakura was finally raised her gaze to lock the door when she found of pool of blood at the door's entrance. The blood carved a crimson path starkly against the chequered floor.

She dropped her things and ran down the hallway. Damn her foolishness—had she just looked at him just once she would've seen that he was badly injured! She ran as fast as her damned medic skirt would allow her without twisting her ankle and she finally caught up with him.

"Wait—!" she panted and reached out to him.

She meant to grab his arm or shoulder to stop him, but she almost rolled over her foot and grabbed his uninjured hand. He turned around and stared at her with surprise. His eyes trailed down to where her hand was, and she didn't even realize that she was still holding his bare, gloveless palm.

Quickly pulling her hand away, she blushed with embarrassment.

Sakura mentally berated herself—how could she allow her guarded veneer of indifference and professionalism slip? She glanced at his right arm and gasped; a large gash had ripped through his uniform and cut the entire lateral part of his arm, from shoulder to elbow. How he kept a straight face with that kind of serious injury was beyond her. "Please," she whispered imploringly, staring at the floor to strengthen her resolve. "Please let me treat your wounds."

When she heard no response, she dared to look up at his angular face. She didn't want to look at his eyes—they always entranced her—but she saw that his expression softened and he nodded curtly.

.

.

Back in the Main Ward, Sakura wasted no time. Stitching thread, antiseptic, scissors, sterile gloves...sterile gloves?—damn, she just remembered that she used the last pair and a new shipment wouldn't be coming in until tomorrow morning. She decided to simply wash her hands and keep tea tree oil handy.

Setting her tools on a work bench, Sakura grabbed a stool and beckoned Neji over to sit adjacent to her. "Please, sit."

When he sat down, Sakura gulped. Not only was she unaccustomed to having him within ten feet of her, here he was, so close to her that she could feel his warm breath on her skin. Shaking away the nonsensical thoughts running through her crazy head, she rolled her stool closer, just enough to place his arm on her left thigh and placed a towel on her leg. Her eyebrows furrowed with worry; the wound looked like a red hot knife had cut him through, as the fabric in his leotard had congealed on the edges of the laceration.

Sensing what she was dreading to ask him, Neji wordlessly began to unclasp the top half of his uniform and stripped off his armoured vest. Gritting his teeth, he peeled off his undershirt, his arm being the last, with pieces of his skin coming off with it. Good Lord he was _very _muscular. And broad. And fierce, with faded scars decorating his defined pectorals and washboard abdominals. She couldn't help but admire how sculpted his shoulders and arms were, from the years of training and hard combat. His long silky mahogany hair fell well past his shoulders and he held himself with that graceful, austere and commanding air that his family was famed for.

Inhaling sharply, Sakura peeled her gaze from his attractive body and focused on the task at hand. She rubbed her hands with her tea tree oil and wiped his wound clean with a cloth soaked in antiseptic. She noticed how his lips only thinned slightly at what must be extremely painful, and respected him for that.

"I know you'll think I'm presumptuous," Sakura began, "but how did you get this cut?"

He didn't say anything for a long time, so Sakura believed that he wouldn't answer. She sighed inwardly at her own stupidity while she continued to dress his wounds.

But then he finally did say something. "I…" he started but trailed off. He pursed his lips and then continued forcefully, "I would tell you. But I have a question of my own."

He paused, and she could feel his eyes upon her.

"Why do you dislike me so?"

Sakura was half-way in stitching the cut when she almost dropped the needle. "What?" His question totally caught her off guard. As if _he_ thought that! "What makes you think that?"

"You seem to be uncomfortable in my presence. It pains you to look at me." Sakura was taken aback by how straightforward he was. A little _too_ blunt, to be sure. But exact, nonetheless.

"I..." What could she say? That he made her stomach tie into knots? Or that simply looking at his form made her close to swooning every time? _Gosh, I'm such a superficial ninny. _She grimaced and gripped the needle again. "I..._You're_ the one who doesn't like me. _I_ should be asking _you_ that."

"I don't dislike you at all," he said plainly. There was an undercurrent of innocence in the way he said it, but Sakura disregarded it in favour of her umbrage.

"Really?" she laughed emptily. "You don't think that women are so incompetent that we wouldn't even be fit to even clean your shoes?"

Neji's eyes blazed when she said that, but he didn't reply. She was surprised that he didn't try to deny it.

"So you _do_ believe that, don't you?" Sakura smiled sadly. "That's what you think of me too?"

"Who told you that?" he asked with quiet fury.

Sakura bit her lip, but remained defiant. "It doesn't matter who told me. Did you deny saying such a thing?"

"It _does _matter," Neji pressed brusquely. "_Who_ told you?"

Sakura roughly wrapped a linen bandage over his arm and hoped that it would cut off his circulation. "I don't see how that would make a difference." Her face was getting hot all of a sudden and her voice rising. She didn't know why she was getting so bothered. "You run from my assessments as if I would give you plague! You flinch and shudder whenever I have to palpate you! I think you've made it _quite_ clear that you want nothing to do with me." She wanted to make herself stop, but she couldn't. All the (nonsensical) emotions that she had bottled up every day since she met Neji poured from her like a broken dam. She didn't even notice how he drew in closer to her. "Oh! How you _frustrate_ me! Why does my heart flutter whenever I look at you? Why do my knees tremble at the sight of you? I hate this! _I hate you_! What am I to do—?"

Neji silenced her by pressing his lips upon hers. He was slow and deliberate and she allowed him to part her lips. His tongue was hot and wet, and, strangely, he tasted of lavender and mint. Everything was so vivid. Her own pounding heart, the smell of his hair, his surprisingly soft lips and the wet stickiness of his mouth, the rigidity of his tongue, and the firmness of his arm as she nervously stroked it. She felt his hand brush against the back of her neck and weave into her now loosened hair. His warmth invigorated her and filled her with a burning ache that blossomed from her core.

And then it was as if a light switch had gone off, and they both disengaged abruptly. His hand was still in her hair and she didn't feel the other one snake up the back of her medic tunic. She was no better, as she found herself clawing his exposed shoulders.

A deafening silence reigned for what seemed like eternity.

"Do you still hate me?" He asked breathlessly, with small playful smile on his lips.

"I don't understand," she began to stutter meekly. She was utterly confused. "When did you-? How? Why….?"

At that, Neji's smile widened and he buried his face into the crook of her neck. He kissed her neck softly and breathed near her ear. It sent shivers all over her body. "So you _do _like me, don't you?" He nipped at her earlobe. "You ask me when _I_ started to feel this way? That's hard to tell. If I were honest, I'd say you had me in caught in your lovely snare the moment I first laid eyes on you, in Kakashi's lecture hall."

"But—"

"Yes, I know. But after the first assessment, I didn't realize the extent of how much you bewitched me. It shames me to say that I became a coward and tried to run away from my feelings. I could not stand being around you for very long. Especially with Kiba around." His grin became lopsided and devilish. "He's a man too. And part dog at that. He would've sniffed me out instantly if I tried to talk with you."

She could hardly believe what he was saying. Sakura pulled away from him and regarded at him suspiciously. "And do you really think that about women?" It was awkward saying that when she was straddling his waist and he had his hands on her backside.

His face became serious. "I will be honest with you. I said that so a female officer would leave me be. I suspected that she harboured..._certain feelings_ for me...and I did not reciprocate. I'm...not very skilled in..." he shrugged languidly, "the art of rejection...so I said that to someone knowing she would overhear. I swear to you that is the truth."

Sakura stared at Neji, searching his face for signs of deceit. But his silvery eyes shone with remarkable, unadulterated sincerity. He was completely telling the truth. He wouldn't even say Tenten's name to keep her privacy and spare her humiliation.

"My God," Sakura announced, "I completely misread you, Neji Hyuuga. You, sir, are a gentleman of the highest order."

In response, the silver-eyed prodigy smiled mischievously. "Even when I do this?" He groped her backside lustily and pulled her closer to him.

Sakura shook her head in amusement.

"Looks like this uncouth gentleman needs to learn his manners."

Neji grinned at her. "Only if a certain pink-haired beauty will teach me."

.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: Made some changes to stay consistent with the story! If you catch any, please let me know-I'm my own editor!

-arwitzle


	9. IX: The Past: First Love

**Persuasion.**

_Synopsis: His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

IX: The Past—First Love

.

.

.

.

Neji had never been in love before. Frankly, he didn't really understand the notion. He read literature, glanced over films and overheard his compatriots speak of it, but it never connected with him. His other Academy classmates never asked him about it and his current training partner Sasuke never mentioned it, even though he was constantly harassed by female students.

Neji assumed that perhaps he just wasn't wired that way. Even though the Hyuuga were known for being notoriously frigid, he saw the affection his family had for one another. His uncle would give his wife a suggestive glance here, steal a peck on the cheek there—these things had not gone unnoticed by Neji. Maybe he really didn't have it in him.

It wasn't that he was incapable of recognizing it in others, however. Before Sasuke, Neji had Tenten as his training partner. Back in the lower classes, they were assigned partners so others had a chance to improve. At the time, Neji didn't care either way. He devoted his life to the mastery of the art of combat and stealth, and did so on his free time too. A little lost time at the Academy didn't faze him, so he did as his teachers instructed and tried to help his partner as best as he could.

It didn't stop him from speaking his mind about her mistakes though. Neji was not known to speak very much, but when he did he was sure to make it count. He was taught to never mince his words, especially when it came to combat. He never gave up on her and she never let her frustration get the better of her, so everything went smoothly for a while. Until things suddenly changed.

Maybe she mistook his intentions, or perhaps she harboured these feelings all along, but Neji didn't pick up on it until he caught the way she looked at him one day. It was the same way those girls looked at Sasuke, and Neji had seen it too many times to count. But unlike Sasuke, Neji didn't know how to deal with the situation. He wasn't good at being blunt to the point being cruel, not in this area. So Neji suffered her not-so-subtle hints and remarks for as long as he could. As the semester drew to a close, he had a feeling that she might confess to him—he had read too many books about this kind of thing so he knew it was coming.

So he devised a plan, and, in retrospect, ill-devised one at that. But it worked. She never so much as looked in his direction ever again.

Except Neji didn't realize the kind of repercussions it would have on his reputation. Suddenly he was bundled with Sasuke as being one of the haughtiest gits Konoha Academy had ever seen. Sasuke, he understood—he _was_ an asshole, but _Neji_? He thought it was a little unfair; he'd look worse compared to the Uchiha due to his shyness with the opposite sex. But such is life, he reasoned, and so he let it go.

.

Needless to say, he wasn't looking forward to the medic assessment course. With the majority of the medics being female students, he surmised that his unsavoury reputation had spread far and wide by now. He decided that he would be polite, to the point and keep contact to a minimum. He was here to become soldier, not to make friends.

When he and Sasuke entered the lecture hall, he sensed everyone's eyes upon him. Neji was indifferent.

But when Neji caught sight of her for the first time, he couldn't help but stare.

In that split second his eyes fell upon her, he soaked in everything—her hair that was more beautiful than cherry blossoms in bloom, her emerald eyes that sparkled more brilliantly than any diamond, her red, full lips that were perfect for...

He immediately tore his gaze away from her and continued onward without missing a beat. Neji could hardly believe what had just happened to him. In a single second, he felt it was the only time in his life he had been fully awake. He clenched his chest; his heart was beating as if he had been running for hours. And his stomach...what was this feeling?

Could it be...?

No.

Impossible.

But Neji couldn't think of anything else. Of all the poems he read, all the novels he devoured, all the films he secretly watched, they all described the first sight of love like being struck by lightning or shot in the chest—a sensation that he was currently experiencing.

Luckily, Neji was an expert at masking his feelings so no one noticed what had just transpired. Sasuke was busy slouching and was purposefully ignoring the world, instead believing that picking the dirt from his nails was much more interesting.

When their instructor was revealed to be Kakashi the Daring Scarecrow, out of the corner of his eye Neji saw Sasuke sit up and pay attention. Kakashi's reputation for being one of the deadliest fighters in the world had made him a legend. Neji could tell Sasuke was eager to learn from him, as was he.

But for the life of him, Neji could not keep his eyes off the pink-haired beauty a few rows below. He watched her hair bounce to and fro as she chatted with the girls beside her. Neji was suddenly aware that Tenten was sitting next to her, and for some odd reason he started to panic.

When the groups were announced, he heard Tenten gasp and turn to the pink-haired girl. "Good Lord," she whispered in horror, "you have Neji Hyuuga in your group."

It was as if his worst fears had come to life. Would Fate be so cruel to him—to make him so helplessly fond of the friend of the girl he spurned? And now he would have to endure her, to be in her presence and yet unable to do anything, say anything and suffer with the knowledge that she probably held the same misconceptions about him?

No, nothing has changed, Neji told himself. He would stick to plan he had before; he would treat this Sakura no differently than anyone else. He was a Hyuuga for Heaven's sake! If he couldn't keep his emotions under lock and key he had no business becoming a soldier.

_Let your heart grow cold_, he commanded himself.

He would overcome this obstacle, and be stronger for it.

.

.

His armour cracked almost immediately.

Neji had returned from the first of what would be many grueling training exercises Kakashi made them endure. Not even his Byakugan could keep up with the instructor's deadly shuriken. He and Sasuke were the last ones standing, having avoided getting nicked and therefore disqualified. But Kakashi was just toying with them, giving them the false hope that they had a chance when he dashed it cruelly away by casually sneaking up on them and bombarding them with a storm of shuriken.

In reality, Neji was just avoiding what was waiting for him back at the Academy's field tents. And now he would have to face the test he had been dreading more than Kakashi's training.

When Neji slipped into the tent, he felt a lump form in his throat when he saw her. Or rather, the back of her.

She was leaning forward with her head popped outside the tent. She was shifting her weight from one hip to the other.

Neji's face began to burn. He managed to tear his gaze away from her wonderfully curved bottom and swallowed thickly.

"Are you done dawdling?" he said neutrally. He learned from the many stories he read that if he acted too hostile or pleasant it could be interpreted as interest, so he did his best to stay frosty.

Sakura yelped when she heard his voice. Neji's heart almost stopped when she looked at him with a flustered expression. She began to stutter, wondering how he got inside and mumbled incoherently to herself. Neji thought it was endearing, and sorely wished he could laugh. But instead he did his very best to keep his composure. He just couldn't keep himself from lifting an amused eyebrow though.

Sakura quickly regained her composure and began doling out instructions. Neji did as he was told and laid down on the assessment table. He felt extremely vulnerable. When he stole glances of her, he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her eyes were wide, but her mouth was set rigidly, as if she was wrestling with herself. She briskly shook her head and reached for antiseptic. He couldn't help but think that he was the culprit of her displeasure, and it made Neji's heart ache a bit.

Tension thrummed in the air as Sakura examined Neji's body. He hoped she didn't notice how his pulse quickened with every prod and stroke. Neji tried to look everywhere but at her, but he caught himself staring at her every time. Yet Neji applauded his self-control—he could handle this, he was sure.

That was until she reached his legs. Sakura gasped and briefly glanced at him before fetching bandages. When her soft hands touched his skin, something bestial stirred within Neji—he could hardly keep himself still. Every touch sent electric currents throughout his body.

Neji couldn't stay a moment longer.

The minute she tied the last bandage he bolted from the tent.

.

.

This was going to be much harder than he thought, and it didn't help that Kiba started hanging around after his assessments, chatting and watching the both of them like a guard hound. It was probably for the best; while Neji indeed inherited the famed Hyuuga frost, he was still a man after all, and Sakura made him burn with desire. He yearned to touch her, caress her, to kiss those perfectly curved lips...

Neji did his best to keep in check. One slip and Kiba would detect it in a heartbeat. So he continued to interact with the object of his affection with cool indifference, doing his best to keep his hunger for her from slipping through his carefully constructed facade. It made it easier to conceal his feelings since she avoided eye contact ever since the first assessment.

When Kakashi informed the officers that they would be going on a mock field mission for a week, Neji was relieved. Finally something substantial to get his mind off things.

.

.

"You look excited," Sasuke drawled as he slipped on his armoured vest.

Neji was sitting patiently, arms folded and ready to go. He opened one eye and regarded the Uchiha briefly before closing it again. He was waiting for their unit to get the green light and start the mission.

"It's the first time we get to show that Scarecrow what we're capable of instead of getting our asses kicked," Kiba piped. "Who wouldn't be excited?"

Sasuke gave Kiba a cool glare. "It's a mock mission, get it? Fake. Not real. Which means it's a complete waste of my time."

Lee, ever the positive cheerleader of the unit, spoke up in Kiba's defence. "Even if it's not a real one, we should still try our best! Master Kakashi might have traps waiting for us!"

"Hmph," Sasuke scoffed, "that's hardly a cause for concern. Certainly not for _me_ anyway."

But Neji had to agree with Lee. The mock mission might actually be a real mission in disguise—a ploy to drop their guard and test their adaptive skills. Neji was ready for anything, and he sincerely hoped Sasuke would do the same.

The armoury's buzzer went off and a green light flashed on. Neji stood from his seat and adjusted his gloves.

Kiba grinned. "It's go time."

.

.

The premise of the mock mission was simple: they were to travel to the outskirts of the Fire Kingdom and clock in at mapped checkpoints. For the mission to be considered a success, all unit members must clock in at every designated station and return to Konoha before the seven day time limit ran out. It seemed straightforward enough.

From the ground they had to cover, it would take Neji two days maximum to complete the mock mission—but he had Braddock and Dario to consider, who were the weaker members of the unit and needed support. Since both Kiba and Lee looked to Neji for guidance and Sasuke was disengaged, Neji became the de facto leader.

Reaching the first few checkpoints were not a problem—they were fairly close to the main road and were easy to access. The mission became more difficult when the latter checkpoints were situated in the deep forest thickets and in the middle bog marshes.

The one night they had to sleep among the trees, Neji was forced to save Braddock from drowning when he fell from his sleeping post and got stuck in the suffocating swamp below. Sasuke was casually observing Braddock thrashing and did nothing, choosing instead to fall back asleep and left Neji to dash to their comrade's rescue. The Uchiha didn't have a single selfless bone in his body.

Barring Sasuke's infuriating detachment, the rest of the mission went smoothly. After a few days they entered into a humid canopied jungle region that marked the Fire Kingdom's border with the Duchy of Steam Rock. In the distance rested majestic mountains with clouds of steam rising from the summit.

The moment Neji set into the rainforest, he could feel something strange pass through his entire being. It was a presence in the air that made the hairs on his neck and arms stand on end. The air seemed to thicken, the trees darken and the ground warped out of place. Neji knew this feeling well.

Sasuke and Kiba seemed to be the only ones who to sensed it too. Sasuke looked at Neji, and then nodded.

"We're heading for the last checkpoint. Do not let your guard down," Neji warned as he unsheathed his hunting knife. "Sasuke and I will scout ahead. Kiba will take point and Lee will watch the unit's rear."

Satisfied that everyone understood their instructions, Neji activated his Byakugan and sped ahead with Sasuke.

.

As the pair swung from tree to tree, Neji detected a trail of blood staining the forest floor. As they approached the last checkpoint, the pervading stench of blood hung in the air, making his nose crinkle and heart race at the same time. Neji cut through the thick wall of vines to reveal a small clearing.

They happened upon the scene of a gruesome bloodbath.

There were limbs and mangled bodies of animals strewn across the clearing, blood drenching the forest floor and barks of nearby trees. From the blood's fresh smell, Neji could tell that these deaths were extremely recent; he and Sasuke probably missed whatever caused this by a few minutes or even less.

But for the life of him, Neji could not think of a single predator capable of killing so many prey at once. At least, not anything native to the area.

"This looks like one of the Scarecrow's acts," Sasuke said wearily. He lowered his shuriken.

"What are you doing? This isn't an act! Don't lower you guard!" Neji hissed.

"Oh? Or else what?" Sasuke smirked as he kicked away a deer's decapitated head. It rolled to the edge of the clearing, hitting the base of a tree before rebounding back a bit.

Neji blinked. The deer head disappeared.

They both snapped to full attentiveness when they heard it. It was less of a howl and more like a loud, ominous wind resonating from the dark depths of the rainforest. Neji gripped his hunter's knife and blast his Byakugan to full strength.

A heartbeat passed. The leaves seemed to still. The air was thick with tension.

And then it happened upon them so quickly Neji had barely any time to react.

"Sasuke get down!" cried Neji. He tackled the Uchiha to the ground and grit his teeth when a something hot and sharp nicked his arm.

"Neji! Neji are you alright?" Sasuke came to his feet and crouched, his eyes searching for the enemy.

"I'm fine," he said through clenched teeth. It wasn't a small scratch like he thought; his arm was rightly sliced open, from shoulder to elbow. He swiftly removed his standard issued bandana and wrapped the wound as best he could. He grabbed his hunter's knife and resumed his defensive crouch, taking position behind Sasuke.

"What the hell was that?" Sasuke whispered, holding his shuriken ready. Whatever attacked them went back into the shadows, hiding, watching them from the dark confines of the forest.

"I saw it. It's a harpy," Neji said.

"A harpy?" Sasuke repeated in disbelief. "In a rainforest?"

"Don't know. We have to take it down before the others get here." The air suddenly shifted. "There! It's coming from ten o'clock!"

An ear-splitting shriek preceded the harpy's aerial swoop. It was a beastly thing, with curled talons that were sharper than swords and armoured scales that were harder than diamonds. Sasuke deftly threw shuriken at the junction between its torso and wings, hitting home. The beast howled in agony and crashed into the ground. Foul smelling blood flowed from the wound.

Sasuke proceeded to produce multiple kunai and pinned the beast down. It was up to Neji to deliver the final blow.

Neji paced slowly towards the felled beast. He had to take care; harpy fangs were notorious for their deadly neurotoxin. Its humanoid face was contorted with anguish and fury, snapping and snarling at him.

Just as Neji was about to dash the beast's head off, Kakashi appeared and grabbed his hand.

"That's enough," he said, "you've successfully completed the mission."

Neji lowered the knife. "What?"

Academy seniors burst from the forest. They removed the shuriken Sasuke embedded into the creature and sedated it with tranquilizer.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sasuke stalked up to Kakashi, sheathing his kunai stiffly. "You planned this all along?"

Kakashi's only exposed eye crinkled. He was smiling. "That's right."

Sasuke was not impressed. Neji sighed; this was typical Kakashi. He wasn't surprised that the Scarecrow would go to such lengths to teach them a lesson.

"What about the others? Do they pass?" Neji queried. His lacerated arm began to burn.

Kakashi nodded. "They did a good job following orders. But you two went above and beyond. I was right to bring this baby here to test you prodigies." He gestured at the harpy that was now being netted and bound. "I'll debrief you all later." He then turned to Neji. "I think you should head back to Konoha. Tsunade should be at the Infirmary and she'll stitch that wound up for you. Here's a soldier pill; it should stop the bleeding long enough for you to make it there. Hurry—the bleeding will get worse once it's out of your system."

Neji graciously accepted the pill and took it immediately. Just as he was about to leave the clearing Sasuke stopped him.

"You saved my life there," he said. His dark eyes avoided Neji's.

"We're comrades. That's what we do," Neji replied with a small smile. He started for the rainforest when Sasuke stopped him again.

"Listen. When you get back to Konoha," his lip curled into a sly smile, "just kiss her."

Neji froze. "What?"

"You heard what I said. Stop pussy-footing around. Man up and kiss her." He leaned back against a tree, folded his arms. He gave Neji a mischievous look.

Neji felt his face burn. Was he that obvious around her? No, he wasn't. Sasuke just knew Neji too well, the bastard. He probably used some damned trick with his Sharingan. Hell if Neji knew.

He nodded stiffly. "I'll keep that in mind."

.

.

It took Neji less than half a day to reach the gates of Konoha. True to Kakashi's word, the soldier pill worked only for so long and now his wound began to ooze with fresh blood.

He went to the Infirmary, hoping that he didn't miss Tsunade. He knew that being the Director of the Medical Department meant that she would be one of the last people to leave the office, so he counted on that protocol.

But instead of Tsunade, he found a certain pink-haired medic in the Main Ward. Alone.

Neji was unsure how to act. He suddenly felt very irritable; one of the chief side effects of the soldier pill was a marked decrease in inhibition and enhanced aggression. While useful in combat, a heightened emotion wasn't what he needed, especially not now, not around her.

"Where is Director Tsunade?" he asked a little more roughly than he intended. His temperature was beginning to rise—he needed his wound looked at now.

She looked up him with a mixture of fear and resolve, and informed Neji that the Director left early. Just his luck.

Neji felt the wound beginning to flood with blood. A river of the hot liquid trailed down his arm and started dripping to the floor. This wasn't good. Loosing blood and having suffering from soldier pill rage did nothing for Neji's patience. "That can't be right. I need to see her now," he stated, more to himself than anyone. He meant only to mutter under his breath and he didn't realize he said it out loud.

When he caught Sakura smiling, he wondered what he actually said. He hoped he didn't say anything untoward by accident. So he asked her, but she stiffened and said no. Good. _Oh God_, Neji thought, _I need to get out of here. But I need Tsunade._ He asked Sakura where he might find her, but she replied that she didn't know...in so many words. Neji decided that the soldier pill also affected his perception because he didn't remember Sakura being so terse.

No matter. Neji excused himself and started towards the entrance. If Tsunade was not in the Infirmary, he'd find her at one the bars the Academy instructors frequented.

He didn't realize that he was being followed until he felt his hand being grasped.

It was Sakura.

She looked up at Neji, her large green eyes wide with panic. He thought he was seeing things, but no, her hand was definitely holding his.

She quickly let go, as if remembering herself, and glued her eyes to the floor. "Please," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Please let me tend to your wounds!"

What else could Neji do but oblige her?

.

.

.

He wouldn't give Sasuke all the credit for what happened in the Main Ward.

It was the magnificent combination of soldier pill-induced boldness, forced proximity and Neji's initiative that resulted in Sakura having her legs wrapped around Neji's torso and his hands tracing the contours of her body.

To put it simply, they just had wonderful chemistry.

It must be said, however, that what they shared wasn't just lust. Oh, he lusted for her greatly and how could he not? She was more beautiful than a siren. But what made Neji desire her was who she was in her entirety, from the way she selflessly cared for her patients to the way she excelled in her studies. She was the picture of competence, mercy and respect. Sakura was the finest woman Neji had the fortune of sharing his time with.

After Neji relayed what really happened between himself and Tenten, Sakura thought it might be best if they kept their relationship under wraps, at least until the semester concluded to deter any unnecessary conflict with Tenten. He thought that was the best approach, as they both wanted to finish their studies before announcing their relationship to their respective families. Neji was especially worried about Sakura's family but she firmly assured him that she did what she wanted, and she wanted to be with Neji.

Neji thought that their secrecy was a rather exhilarating farce; he'd purposefully antagonise her during the field assessments and she would respond kind with venomous one-liners. It only served to stoke the tension, making their nightly liaisons wild with unfettered passion.

He had fallen helplessly in love with the cherry haired medic, in every possible manner. He would catch himself thinking of her at every moment of every day. Even during training, his mind wandered to her which allowed Sasuke to land a devastating blow upon his jaw. It didn't matter, since Sakura happily treated the injury. As she lovingly dressed his bruise, Neji realized that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

He couldn't get enough of this dazzling creature. They were currently tucked away in an enclosed garden. It was locked up at this time of night, but Neji had his ways and this became their sanctuary. The moonlight bathed them, making Sakura's skin glow with an ethereal light.

As Neji parted Sakura's lips for another kiss, his thoughts turned to how lucky he was that things worked out the way they did. She raked her hands through his hair and she shimmied closer to him, pressing her body against his.

"Do you know how hard it was trying to keep my hands off you during that first assessment?" Neji murmured between their hot kisses.

"I distinctly remember you disappearing right away," she replied wryly.

"What could I do but run away? A single touch from you was enough to drive me mad," he said, a throaty chuckle rumbling in his neck as he flicked the straps off her tunic. She giggled and moved to put the straps back on, but Neji stopped her.

"Don't. You have the most magnificent breasts in the world," he said. "But I know what would make them look better."

Sakura rolled her eyes, blushing all the while. "Oh? And what's that? A see-through brazier?"

"Something even better. Close your eyes." Neji turned over and grabbed the box he had been hiding from her. "Alright. Open them."

Sakura gasped. It was a baroque music box. She set it down between them and fingered the intricate designs. "Neji...this is beautiful."

"That's only half of what I got you. Open the box."

When she did, a beautiful tune began to play. The background shifted from night to day in a cycle timed with the tune. Nested on the dial was an ornately carved locket. Neji lifted it slowly and held it front of her.

"Sakura, I give you this locket as symbol of my ever-lasting devotion. Not a day goes by that I do not think of you. You are my sun, my moon, and my stars. I only truly started to live life because of you."

"Neji..." Sakura's eyes began to brim with tears.

" Sakura Haruno, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife? I know that it's not a ring...but I promise as soon as I make ANBU Captain—"

"Yes! Yes I will marry you!" Sakura breathed. She snatched the locket from Neji's fingers and put it over her head. The locket piece was nestled right between her breasts. Sakura smiled slyly.

"You're right. It _does_ make my breasts look nicer," she grinned. Sakura then cupped Neji's cheek and kissed him softly. "I don't care less about a stupid ring. All of that can wait. What matters is that I love you, Neji Hyuuga. I love you with all my heart and I promise you," she weaved her fingers through his, "this locket will never leave my chest."

.

.

.

.

.

Neji stared at the locket in his palm, and then clenched it.

He gazed at the sun rising slowly above the horizon, bathing the sea of Resthaven with dawn's sparkling light.

He was a fool, Neji knew. He hurt the one person whom he loved the most. He knew that he should have trusted her, believed in her. Instead, he let his demons take over and corrupt him.

For the woman who loved him when he had nothing, he would give up everything just for a chance to have her in his arms once more.

What he had done to her was unforgivable. Neji wouldn't be surprised if she never wanted to see him ever again. But he couldn't—no, wouldn't—let her go without trying. He had to believe that there was a way to make amends and return to the way they used to be.

"You're up already?" Sasuke was leaning casually against the door frame.

Neji pocketed the locket and faced the Uchiha. He nodded. "Couldn't sleep."

Sasuke shrugged. "It's to be expected, after the way you royally fucked up in Suna."

"Thanks friend," Neji said dryly.

"My Lord Knight needs someone to tell him the truth," Sasuke said with a self-satisfied grin.

The bandaged Uchiha pushed off of the doorway and coolly raked his slovenly hair back.

"Now," his dark eye narrowed and glinted shrewdly, "are you ready to do things my way?"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: Hey all! Sorry for the lack of updates! I've been working on rewriting one of my fics, but now that my creative juices are flowing (and it's summer—no uni!), I can update more often now. I'd give this story max 4 or 5 more chapters before it's over, so stay tuned!

And review, review, review!

-arwitzle


	10. X: Reflections

**Persuasion**

_Synopsis: His birth and station despised by her snobbish family, Sakura was forced to let go of her engaged love. Making his fortune from the war, Neji returns years later and will stop at nothing in exacting his revenge against the one who broke his heart all those years ago._

Chapter 10: Reflections

.

.

.

It had been a month since that fateful night.

Gaara stared at the ceiling of his bedroom, watching the fan's rhythmic oscillations. It was a hot and balmy night, and Gaara, despite his fiery personality, disliked it. The heat was enough to drive a man crazy if he wasn't careful.

His gaze trailed to the wall to his left, the wall he shared with Sakura's room. When he had taken her home from the dance, she was a teary mess. It didn't surprise him; she had just experienced a devastating loss. Things did not go as planned, obviously, but what made him feel worse was that somewhere, deep inside him, Gaara felt like it was his fault. A selfish part of him wanted Sakura all to himself, and perhaps sabotaged the entire operation just to satisfy his carnal desire for her at the expense of her happiness.

The monster within him roared with victory when she dismissed the Hyuuga, but when he witnessed the full extent of his actions, Gaara realized his mistake. Sakura fled to his arms, not out of desire but out of grief. It made Gaara disgusted with himself.

So, instead, he had done whatever he could to avoid being alone with the rose-haired physician. Their interactions were limited to quick hellos and goodbyes, followed by week-long absences with the excuse that he had training exercises to oversee with neighboring counties. But now he had exhausted all excuses and was back home.

Was he in a dream? The haze of the night made him feel like he was in delirium.

Slipping into the depths of slumber, Gaara suddenly felt strange sensations wash over him. Everything was hot, wet and sticky, like he was in an unbearable, fantastic, addictive cocoon.

Just before he had reached fever pitch, the swirl of scintillating passion abruptly ended.

Everything snapped into focus. Gaara's eyes fluttered open, and the sight of Sakura laying under him made him instantly pull back.

He inwardly cursed himself. Gaara sat up as he raked his hand through his hair and heaved a heavy sigh. "This is a mistake."

She drew the sheets up to covered herself. "What?" Even in the dark, her bright green eyes were shining with a mixture of surprise and panic. "Did I do something wrong?"

Gaara shook his head absentmindedly as he rolled off her and grabbed his trousers from the floor. He slipped on a crumpled desert robe that was hanging from his bedpost and ruffled his hair. He remained seated on the edge of the bed for a while, but he kept his back facing her.

"I need to go for a walk," he said over his shoulder and then stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"Out," he replied flatly. "Don't wait for me."

.

.

.

Gaara welcomed the open night air on his prickly skin. While it air still had a moist element to it, there was a passing breeze that made it bearable.

As he ambled down the streets of Suna, Gaara remarked on how everything was quiet and closed. The only places open at this hour were drinking saloons.

The thought of a nice, cool drink seemed mightily attractive to the red-haired general right now. Doubling back from the fountain centre plaza, Gaara entered a bar owned by a certain former sea captain.

.

.

"As a man, I don't give a rat's ass. But as a friend, I can't let her do this to herself, not after all this time." He moistened his lips and wiped the nonexistent spittle from his mouth. "This isn't the way I want her."

"I gotta say, you're a damn good bloke Gaara," Remien crooned with his rustic coastal accent. He took a swig of his ale and smacked his lips with satisfaction. "Most men wouldn't give a toss so long as the bonny lass was sharing _their_ bed."

When Gaara's face reddened, Remien almost choked on his drink.

"Blackened Sky," he exclaimed, "are you telling me you haven't claimed that gorgeous woman as your own?"

Gaara only replied by giving him a casual shrug. "Considering the circumstances, it would be like taking advantage of her. Don't give me that look Remien. It's not like I don't want to...but she's waited six goddamn years for that useless arse. That's how important it is to her-she wouldn't go near anyone until he came back. And now...well, it feels like she's lost hope in everything. Like she doesn't care what happens to her." Gaara took a massive gulp of his drink, and it made his head feel a tad fuzzy. "It's fucking depressing."

"Ahh," Remien nodded sagely. "You'd feel guilty if anything happened now."

Gaara nodded. "But she keeps telling me that she wants it," he continued. "She says that she's tired of waiting. I can't bear to do it though. Just tonight she slipped into my bed just as I was sleeping. Remien, you know me. You know...what's inside me. It was a miracle I could control myself just in time."

"Blimey, you're in a dilly of a pickle! What's that saying again from this 'ere neck of the woods again?" Remien tapped his lip and looked up in thought. "'Don't make permanent decisions-"

"-'Based on temporary feelings'," Gaara finished for him.

Remien slammed the table in approval. "That's it! If she can't keep her wits about her now, why don't you do it for her?"

Gaara looked at the former sea captain with renewed respect. "What would happen to the world if not for your infinite wisdom, Remien Rotterdam?"

Remien gave Gaara a lopsided grin and he tapped his nose.

"I reckon the female race would've gutted us all by now."

.

.

.

Blinding light shined through the curtains.

Sakura awoke in a bed that was not her's.

She sat up, but had to hold her head steady. The dull ache she had woken up with sharpened considerably with that single movement. When she was in full control of her faculties, she realized that this was Gaara's room.

Sakura sat dazed on Gaara's bed. She knew she should feel a slew of emotions ranging from horror, shame and anger. But she didn't. She felt empty and disconnected from her body. Her sight, her movements, it seemed like she was watching through the lens of another person.

But no-what happened last night was real-and she had soundly humiliated herself. There was a reason why she shouldn't be allowed to be alone with a bottle of wine.

She dragged herself from his bed-Sakura couldn't bear being surrounded by his scent any longer-and started the laborious effort of picking up her strewn clothing from around the room. With each article she picked up, Sakura felt the hot pang of shame hammer her chest.

Decent in a nightgown and silk robe, Sakura entered the main living area. The apartment felt eerily empty. She poured herself a glass of water and shoved as many ice cubes with a little more force than necessary. What had possessed her to do such a thing? Ever since the incident with Neji, Gaara had been distant with her, keeping Sakura at arm's length as if she were no more than a platonic roommate.

She thought that maybe he was playing some type of game with her. But the sexual tension was too much for her to bear. Sakura wanted him to make her feel good, that's all she wanted-to indulge in a part of herself she kept buried for so long.

Didn't he...

Didn't he want her?

Sakura gnashed an ice cube harshly between her teeth.

She wanted to be angry with Gaara. She wanted to blame him for sending her mixed messages and toying with her. Her mounting outrage immediately collapsed when she realized that she was trying to use Gaara for her own selfish purposes. Just because he implied he wanted her doesn't mean he actually did in the way _she_ wanted.

Gaara, as much as it pained her to admit it, owed Sakura nothing. And it was unfair on her part to put him in this position.

She pulled out a stool and seated herself. When her gaze briefly fell as she picked up her drink, she found a folded piece of paper with her name written hastily on it. The scrawl was unmistakably Gaara's.

_Sakura, _

_You deserve so much more than this. I want you to come to me out of your own free will, not as a reaction from a loss. As your friend, I want nothing more than to be with you. But there is a part of me that desires you without measure. _

_I'm going away for a while. I can't tell you where I'm going, but please-don't think it's because of what happened. I need to see the world in a new way, free from the grip of war and anguish. How can I love you when I'm not a complete person yet? I recognize my faults...it's not something that I can fix overnight. But I want to be with you without regrets, and I would want to expect the same from you. Not just with me, but with whoever you decide to spend the rest of your life with._

_I know it sounds selfish, all these 'wants' that I am demanding of you, but I hope you can forgive my greed._

_-Gaara._

Sakura stared at the note, tears silently falling from her eyes and dotting wet blotches onto the ink.

What could she do, but mourn the loss of yet another precious person who fled because of her?

Her thoughts began the familiar turn towards the blackened pit of despair when something snapped inside her.

_No._

A deep, commanding voice resonated within her. It was so pervasive that it startled her.

_You can't keep doing this to yourself. Stop feeling sorry and take control of your goddamn life! Are you some starry-eyed maiden who let's something as pedestrian as men ruin you?_

The voice took a sneering edge. _Mother is turning in her grave, you simpering fool. Now put down that letter, get packing and leave!_

Sakura shakily set the letter down as the voice commanded and closed her eyes.

The voice was right. When did she let herself become this way? She was still alive, wasn't she? Didn't she promise to live out her life in honour of her deceased family? Her actions up until now disgusted her.

Sakura opened her eyes and drained her water. She wiped her mouth with the back of her arm and set her glass down with renewed purpose.

She fled to her room, fished her suitcase from the compartment under her mattress and began to pack at an industrious rate. Donning a cotton desert robe and matching scarf, Sakura brushed her hair and slipped on a traditional Suna turban-style headdress to keep her hair from straying.

Satisfied with her garb and appearance, Sakura double-checked that her effects were in order and slung her tasseled travelling pouch over her shoulder.

Locking the door and slipping the keys through the mail slot, Sakura made her way to the train station.

It was high time that she visited her father and sister in the Southern Shore.

.

.

.

Gaara watched as Sakura hustled down the streets of Suna. From his vantage point, he could see that she was clearly heading in the direction of the train station.

That his plan worked brought Gaara no contentment. But he did smile when he saw that familiar look of determination etched on her brow as she weaved her way through the crowd. With no more distraction, Sakura would be able to carve out her life in the way she saw fit, free from the restraint and worry that came with insecure romantic attachments.

_If we are meant to see each other again, we will, _Gaara would say to himself.

_Our lives have been written in the stars long before we walked this earth._

He was confident that even if they were not fated for this life, a time would come when their love would be realized and fulfilled. Was not the soul eternal? Their meeting in this life was not an accident

Still, watching her slip away... he couldn't help the tears. He just couldn't.

.

.

.

.

.

.

_A/N: a few notes for my lovely readers:_

_-sorry for the short, hasty update-and the lack of updates in general. I felt bad for starting a brand new story without finishing this one. To be honest, moving past the fallout of Neji and Sakura put me in a conundrum. I want to keep the characters authentic to the way I characterized them, and to the way the original Persuasion handled the tension. Admittedly, no massive blow-up happened...but I'm allowed to take creative liberties from time to time._

_-expect a much, much bigger, better update next time in two months' time (or less, it's looking more like the December holidays that I'll get the time)_

_-oh yes, by the way, I changed my pen-name. No reason really (like everything I do!)._

_-love, z.m_


End file.
